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Experimental  Studies  in  Spelling 

To  Determine  Whether  Continuous  Repetition 

or  Repetition  After  an  Interval  is  More 

Effective  in  Memorizing 


BY 


LiNWOOD   ElSENBERG 


A  Thesis,  presented  to  the  Faculty  of  the  Graduate  School  of 

the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  partial  fulfillment 

of  the  requirements  for   the   degree   of 

Doctor    of    Philosophy 


Lancaster,  Pa. 

Intelligencer  Print 

1913 


^5- 


Experimental  Studies  in  Spelling  to  Determine 
Whether  Continuous  Repetition  or  Repeti- 
tion After  an  Interval  is  More  Ef- 
fective IN  Memorizing. 

An   Investigation   Covering  a  Period  of  Years 

From    1907    Until    191 2    Conducted    in    the 

Schools  Under  My  Supervision  During 

The  Years  Named. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/experimentalstudOOeiserich 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 9 

General  Statement  of  Plan 11 

General  Summary  of  Precautions 14 

Part  I— 

Experiment  1 16 

I — Object  of  Experiment 16 

2 — Plan  of  Experiment 16 

3 — General  Plan 16 

Plan  of  Test  A-i 16 

Plan  of  Test  A-2 17 

Plan  of  Test  B-i 18 

Plan  of  Test  B-2 18 

4 — Tables 20 

Table  I — Number  of  Words  Learned  After  Study.     Test 

A-i  and  A-2 20 

Table  II — Number  of  Words  Learned  After  Study.     Test 

B-i  and  Test  B-2 22 

Table  III — Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End  of  Week. 

Test  A-I  and  A-2 24 

Table  IV — Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End  of  Week. 

Test  B-I  and  B-2 26 

Table  V — Average  Number  of  Words  Learned  After  Study. 

Test  A-I  and  A-2 28 

Table  VI — Average    Number    of    Words    Learned    After 

Study.     Test  B-i  and  B-2 * 29 

Table  VII — Average  Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End 

of    Week.     Test  A-i  and  A-2 31 

TablcL  VIII — Average  Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End 

of  Week,     Test  B-i  and  B-2 32 

Table  IX — Comparison  of  Percent.  Learned  and  Retained. 

Test  A-i  and  A-2 34 

Table  X — Comparison  of  Percent.  Learned  and  Retained. 

Test  B-I  and  B-2 35 

5 — Analysis  of  Results  of  Test  A-i  and  A-2 35 

6 — Analysis  of  Results  of  Test  B-i  and  B-2 36 

Part  II— 

Experiment  II 37 

5 


6  .  Contents 

I — Plan  of  Experiment 37 

General  Plan 37 

Plan  Series  A 39 

Test  No.  1 39 

Test  No.  2 39 

Test  No.  3 39 

Plan  Series  B 40 

Test  No.  1 40 

Test  No.  2 40 

Test  No.  3 40 

Test  No.  4 40 

Test  No.  5 41 

2 — List  of  Words  Used  in  Series  A 41 

3 — List  of  Words  Used  in  Series  B 46 

4 — ^Tables — 

Table  X — Number     of     Words     Learned     After     Study. 

Series  A — Test  i,  2,  and  3 49 

Table  XI — Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End  of  Week. 

Series  A — ^Test  i,  2,  and  3 50 

Table  XII — Average    Number   of   Words   Learned   After 

Study.     Series  A — ^Test  i,  2,  and  3 51 

Table  XIII — Average  Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End 

of  Week.     Series  A — Test  i,  2,  and  3 52 

Table  XIV — Comparison   of    Percent.    Learned   and    Re- 
tained.    Series  A — Test  i,  2,  and  3 53 

Table  XV — Number    of    Words    Learned    After    Study. 

Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  and  5 '.  54 

Table  XVI— Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End  of  Week. 

Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  and  5 55 

Table  XVII — Average  Number  of  Words  Learned  After 

*  Study.     Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  and  5 56 

Table  XVIII — Average   Number  of  Words   Retained   at 

End  of  Week.     Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  and  5.  ..  .  58 
Table  XIX — Comparison   of   Percent.    Learned   and    Re- 
tained.    Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  arfci  5 59 

5 — Analysis  of  Results — Series  A — Test  1,2,  and  3 60 

6 — Analysis  of  Results — Series  B — Test  i,  2,  3,  4,  and  5.  ..  .  61 
Part  Ill- 
Experiment  III — 

Plan  of  Experiment 63 

I — General  Plan 63 

2— Plan  Series  C 66 

Test  No.  1 66 

Test  No.  2 66 

Test  No.  3 67 


Contents  7 

3 — List  of  Words  Used  in  Series  C 67 

4 — Tables — 

Table  XX— Number    of    Words    Learned    After    Study. 

Series  C — Test  1,2,  and  3 70 

Table  XXI— Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End  of  Week. 

Series  C — Test  i,  2,  and  3 71 

Table  XXII — Average  Number  of  Words  Learned  After 

Study.     Series  C — Test  i,  2,  and  3 71 

Table  XXIII — ^Average  Number  of  Words  Retained  at  End 

of  Week.     Series  C — Test  i,  2,  and  3 72 

Table  XXIV — Comparison  of  Percent.  Learned  and  Re- 
tained.    Series  C. — Test  i,  2,  and  3 73 

5 — Analysis  of  Results — Series  C — Test  1,2,  and  3 74 

Part  IV— 

Experiment  IV 75 

I — Plan  of  Experiment 75 

2 — ^Table  XXV — Showing  Results  of  Experiment  IV 76 

3 — Analysis  of  Results  of  Experiment  IV 77 

Part  V— 

Graphic  Representation  of  Results 78 

Conclusion 79 


INTRODUCTION 

This  investigation  is  one  of  a  series  of  investigations  conducted 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Yocum's  Seminar  in  Pedagogy.  The 
purpose  of  the  investigation  was  to  gather  in  a  scientific  way 
facts  that  would  be  helpful  in  determining  a  scientific  method  in 
Pedagogy. 

In  this  particular  investigation  the  object  was  to  make  all 
factors  constant  in  memorizing  spelling  words  except  the  form 
and  number  of  repetitions.  The  tests  were  arranged  in  each 
case  so  that  a  comparison  could  be  made  between  continuous 
repetitions  and  repetition  after  an  interval,  the  number  of  repeti- 
tions being  the  same  in  both  cases. 


GENERAL  STATEMENT  OF  PLAN 

Four  different  experiments  were  made.  Three  of  the  experi- 
ments formed  a  progressive  series.  The  fourth  was  an  individual 
experiment  designed  to  see  the  effect  upon  the  general  results 
when  the  pupil  studied  only  the  words  that  were  shown  by  the 
preliminary  test  to  be  unknown. 

Experiment  I 

Experiment  I  was  conducted  in  the  Royersford  Public  Schools 
with  the  aid  of  the  teachers  as  noted  in  the  specific  plan  of  the 
experiment.  The  children  of  grades  three  to  eight  inclusive 
were  used.  All  factors  that  would  affect  the  results  of  memoriz- 
ing were  either  eHminated  or  reduced  to  a  constant  in  each  test 
except  the  form  of  repetition.  In  Test  A-i  all  the  factors  were 
the  same  as  A-2  except  in  A-i  the  two  repetitions  were  continuous 
and  in  A-2  one  of  the  repetitions  was  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list.  In  B-i  and 
B-2,  the  conditions  were  the  same  as  A-i  and  A-2,  except  that 
written  repetition  was  used  instead  of  the  oral.  This  was  the 
only  place  in  all  the  experiments  in  which  the  written  repetition 
was  used.  The  written  form  was  dropped  because  it  made  the 
problem  more  complex  and  because  the  time  element  was  more 
difficult  to  control.  The  variation  in  time  in  this  part  of  the 
experiment  was  greater  than  in  any  other  part.  The  comparison 
of  results  for  oral  repetition  was  between  Test  A-i  and  Test  A-2; 
for  written  repetition,  between  Test  B-i  and  Test  B-2. 

Experiment  II 

This  experiment  was  conducted  in  the  same  general  plan  as 
Experiment  I  in  regard  to  teachers,  grade,  and  general  pro- 
cedure. 

An  effort  was  made  to  profit  by  the  experiences  in  the  first 

11 


12  Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 

experiment.  The  oral  repetition  was  used  entirely.  The 
teacher  had  the  words  written  on  the  board  before  the  pupils 
came  into  the  room.  The  words  were  kept  covered  until  they 
were  ready  to  be  used  in  the  study.  This  eliminated  the  possi- 
bility of  some  of  the  pupils  seeing  the  teacher  write  the  word  on 
the  board.  It  also  made  it  possible  to  keep  the  time  more  nearly 
uniform. 

In  this  experiment  two  series  of  tests  were  given;  Series  A 
with  three  tests,  each  of  which  had  three  oral  repetitions,  and 
Series  B  with  five  tests,  each  of  which  had  four  oral  repetitions. 
The  comparison  of  results  was  between  the  three  tests  of  Series 
A,  and  between  the  five  tests  of  Series  B.  The  first  test  of 
Series  A  was  characterized  by  three  continuous  repetitions. 
Both  tests,  two  and  three,  were  characterized  by  repetition  after 
an  interval  as  explained  in  the  detail  of  the  plan  of  the  tests. 
In  Series  B,  the  first  test  was  characterized  by  four  continuous 
repetitions  and  tests  two,  three,  four,  and  five  were  character- 
ized by  the  same  number  of  repetitions  after  an  interval  as 
explained  in  the  detail  of  the  plan  of  the  tests. 

Experiment  III 

Experience  in  Experiments  I  and  II  made  it  evident  that 
the  experiments  would  be  improved  if  one  person  performed  the 
entire  experiment.  For  this  reason,  I  performed  the  experi- 
ment entirely  myself. 

It  seemed  desirable  to  have  the  experiment  as  nearly  like  the 
regular  spelling  lesson  as  possible.  In  order  to  do  this,  slips  were 
printed  containing  the  words  used  in  the  test  as  explained  in  the 
detail  of  the  plan  of  the  test. 

A  device  was  used  to  cover  the  words  when  not  being  studied. 
Pupils  were  taught  to  use  the  device  before  the  tests  were  made 
so  that  the  device  would  not  disturb  them  in  their  study. 

This  experiment  was  made  only  in  grades  five  to  eight  in- 
clusive. This  was  done  because  the  covering  device  seemed  to  be 
a  disturbing  factor  in  grades  three  and  four.  It  was  more  difficult 
to  control  the  time  element.  This  was  a  factor  in  Experiments 
I  and  II.     In  Experiments  III  and  IV,  the  time  element  was 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  13 

made  a  constant,  therefore,  not  a  disturbing  factor.  This  was 
done  by  practice.  Experience  made  it  possible  to  spend  the 
same  time  in  drill  in  each  part  of  the  test. 

Three  repetitions  were  used  because  it  was  found  that  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  pupils  learned  all  the  words  when  four 
repetitions  were  made  in  the  study. 

Test  I,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  three  continuous 
repetitions,  was  given  last  in  the  series  so  that  if  any  advantage 
was  in  favor  of  the  last  test  of  a  series,  it  should  be  in  favor  of 
the  test  which  did  not  show  to  advantage  in  Experiments  I 
and  II. 

Tests  II  and  III  each  had  three  repetitions  after  intervals  as 
explained  in  the  detail  of  the  plan. 

The  results  in  this  experiment  are  thought  to  be  as  nearly 
scientifically  accurate  as  it  is  possible  to  have  them.  It  is  to  be 
noted  that  the  same  general  result  was  obtained  as  was  obtained 
in  Experiments  I  and  II,  but  that  the  percentage  in  favor  of 
repetition  after  an  interval  was  higher  in  this  experiment. 

Experiment  IV 

This  Experiment  was  conducted  exactly  as  Experiment  III 
except  that  individuals  were  used  instead  of  groups  of  indi- 
viduals. This  was  done  so  that  each  subject  might  spend  the 
entire  time  in  study  of  those  words  which  were  shown  by  the 
preliminary  test  to  be  unknown. 

The  pupils  were  especially  selected  for  this  experiment.*  The 
results  simply  serve  to  supplement  the  results  of  Experiments  I, 
II,  and  III. 


*  The  selection  of  pupils  was  made  in  order  to  secure  pupils  of  the  same 
intelligence  and  power  of  attention.  They  all  gave  evidence  of  a  high  degree 
of  learning  power  in  Experiment  III. 


GENERAL  SUMMARY  OF  PRECAUTIONS 

The  purpose  of  the  various  precautions  that  were  taken  was 
either  to  eliminate  or  to  make  uniform  all  the  factors  affecting 
memorizing  in  spelling  except  repetition. 

In  all  the  experiments  the  tests  were  made  before  ten  o'clock. 
This  was  done  so  that  the  pupils  would  not  be  fatigued  at  the 
time  of  the  experiment. 

By  practice  the  experimenter  learned  to  keep  the  time  of  study 
uniform  or  nearly  so.  There  was  some  variation  in  Experiments 
I  and  II  due  to  different  experimenters  and  form  of  repeti- 
tion. The  time  for  each  experimenter  was  uniform  in  the  dif- 
ferent tests.  The  written  repetition  required  more  time  than 
the  oral  form.  In  Experiments  III  and  IV,  the  time  was 
uniform,  due  to  one  Experimenter. 

The  effort  was  made  in  each  experiment  to  have  the  pupil 
study  the  words  as  directed.  This  was  done  by  the  different 
methods  of  covering  the  words  when  not  being  studied.  In 
Experiment  III  this  was  done  by  a  piece  of  cardboard,  which 
proved  to  distract  the  attention  less  than  the  previous  devices. 
By  experience  it  was  found  that  the  pupils*  attention  was 
usually  concentrated  as  directed  without  the  use  of  the  covering 
device. 

In  the  first,  and  second  experiments  the  words  were  studied 
from  the  board.  This  was  studying  the  word  in  a  form  different 
from  the  usual  form  of  the  spelling  book.  Hence,  it  was  a  dis- 
turbing factor,  but  constant  in  all  the  tests.  In  the  third  and 
fourth  experiments,  the  words  were  in  form  similar  to  that  of 
text  from  which  the  pupils  were  accustomed  to  study.  This  I 
considered  much  more  satisfactory  than  the  method  of  Experi- 
ments I  and  II. 

In  all  the  experiments  a  special  effort  was  made  to  prevent  any 
form  of  copying.     This  factor,  I  think,  was  entirely  eliminated 

14 


Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling  15 

from  all  of  the  tests.  The  papers  of  pupils  who  were  especially 
poor  spellers  were  rejected,  hence  all  the  tests  represent  pupils 
of  average  ability  in  spelling. 

Tests  one  and  two  contain  a  disturbing  factor  in  the  form  of 
different  experimenters.  In  Experiments  III  and  IV,  this  dis- 
turbing factor  is  entirely  eliminated. 

In  Experiments  I,  II,  and  III,  the  time  spent  in  study  of  the 
words  was  divided  between  words  the  pupils  knew  and  words 
that  the  pupil  had  missed  in  the  preliminary  test.  This,  I  felt, 
was  a  disturbing  factor  that  could  be  eliminated  by  making  a 
very  large  number  of  tests.  Since  this  could  not  be  done,  I 
eliminated  it  by  having  each  individual  study  only  the  words 
that  he  did  not  know. 

The  method  of  correcting  the  papers  was  practically  uniform 
in  all  the  tests.  In  Experiments  I  and  II,  different  people 
corrected  the  lists.  In  Experiments  III  and  IV,  this  was  done 
immediately  under  my  direction. 

The  details  of  precautions  taken  will  be  found  in  connection 
with  each  experiment. 


PART  I 

Experiment  I 

The  object  of  the  following  experiment  was  to  determine 
whether  continuous  repetition  or  repetition  after  an  interval  is 
more  effective  in  memorizing.  The  subject  of  Spelling  was 
chosen  because  it  was  comparatively  easy  to  eliminate  all  the 
factors  in  memorizing  except  repetition. 

The  experiment  was  made  carefully  as  follows: 

1.  The  tests  were  made  in  grades  three  (3)  to  eight  (8)  in- 
clusive. All  the  tests  were  made  between  nine  (9)  and  ten  (10) 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  object  of  having  the  tests  at  this 
time  was  that  the  children  would  be  fresh  and  would  take  up 
the  tests  with  equal  freshness  each  time. 

2.  Twenty  (20)  words  were  given  in  each  test.  These  words 
were  selected  as  rather  difficult  for  the  grade  so  that  there  would 
be  a  rather  large  number  of  words  to  be  learned  in  each  test. 
All  preliminary  tests  were  made  so  that  there  would  be  a  means 
of  discovering  the  exact  number  of  words  that  each  pupil  learned 
in  the  test. 

J.  Four  (4)  tests  were  made,  making  two  (2)  sets  of  compari- 
son possible.  The  tests  were  numbered,  A-i  and  A-2;  B-i  and 
B-2.  These  tests  were  so  arranged  that  comparisons  could  be 
made  between  A-i  and  A-2,  B-i  and  B-2.  All  factors  remained 
constant  in  A-i  and  A-2  excepting  the  method  of  repetition.  The 
following  directions  were  given  in  each  test: 

A-I. — I.  The  teacher  was  instructed  to  dictate  words  to  class, 
pronouncing  each  word  once,  distinctly,  being  careful  not  to 
pronounce  the  word  so  slowly  that  it  was  equal  to  spelling  the 
word  for  the  pupil,  but  to  pronounce  it  clearly  as  in  ordinary 
conversation.  Immediately  after  the  list  was  dictated  to  the 
class  the  papers  were  collected.     Later  these  papers  were  cor- 

16 


Experimental   Sttidies   in   Spelling  17 

rected  and  a  record  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  pre- 
vious to  the  study  of  the  words  by  the  pupils. 

2.  Immediately  after  the  collection  of  the  papers  the  teacher 
was  to  write  the  first  word  in  the  list  on  the  board,  pronounce  it 
and  have  the  pupils  pronounce  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  The  pupils  immediately  after  pronouncing  the  words,  were 
to  spell  or  sound  out  the  word  twice,  according  to  the  method 
used  by  the  teachers  in  teaching  spelling. 

4.  The  teacher  was  to  erase  word  and  proceed  to  the  next 
word  in  the  same  way  until  the  list  was  completed. 

5.  After  the  study  of  the  entire  list,  the  teacher  was  to  pro- 
nounce the  words  to  the  class  and  have  the  pupils  exchange 
papers  and  mark  the  words  that  were  missed.  The  teacher  was 
to  spell  the  words  for  the  pupils  and  have  the  pupils  mark  those 
which  were  missed.  The  teacher  was  to  be  sure  that  the  cor- 
rections were  made  accurately.  The  papers  were  to  be  col- 
lected immediately  after  their  correction. 

A-2. — I.  The  teacher  was  instructed  to  dictate  words  to  class, 
pronouncing  each  word  once,  distinctly,  being  careful  not  to 
pronounce  the  word  so  slowly  that  it  was  equal  to  spelling  the 
word  for  the  pupil,  but  to  pronounce  it  clearly  as  in  ordinary 
conversation.  Immediately  after  the  list  was  dictated  to  the 
class  the  papers  were  collected.  Later  these  papers  were  cor- 
rected and  a  record  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  previous 
to  the  study  of  the  words  by  the  pupils. 

2.  Immediately  after  collection  of  the  papers  the  teacher  was 
to  write  the  first  word  in  the  list  on  the  board,  pronounce  it  and 
have  the  pupils  pronounce  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  The  pupils  immediately  after  pronouncing  were  to  spell  or 
sound  out  the  word  once,  according  to  the  method  used  by 
teacher  in  teaching  spelling. 

4.  The  teacher  was  to  cover  the  worcT  with  a  piece  of  card 
board  and  proceed  with  the  next  word  in  the  same  way  until 
the  list  was  completed. 

5.  The  teacher  was  to  uncover  the  first  word  of  the  list  and 
have  the  pupils  spell  or  sound  it  out  the  second  time,  then 
erase  the  first  word  and  proceed  in  the  same  way  with  the  next 
word  until  the  list  was  completed. 


18  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

6.  After  the  study  of  the  entire  list,  the  teacher  was  to  pro- 
nounce the  words  to  the  class  and  have  the  pupils  exchange 
papers  and  mark  the  words  that  were  missed.  The  teacher  was 
to  spell  the  words  for  the  pupils  and  have  the  pupils  mark  those 
which  were  missed.  The  teacher  was  to  be  sure  that  the  cor- 
rections were  made  accurately.  The  papers  were  to  be  col- 
lected immediately  after  their  correction. 

B-i. — I.  The  teacher  was  instructed  to  dictate  words  to  class, 
pronouncing  each  word  once,  distinctly,  being  careful  not  to 
pronounce  the  word  so  slowly  that  it  was  equal  to  spelling  the 
word  for  the  pupil,  but  to  pronounce  it  clearly  as  in  ordinary 
conversation.  Immediately  after  the  list  was  dictated  to  the 
class,  the  papers  were  collected.  Later  these  papers  were  cor- 
rected and  a  record  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  previous 
to  the  study  of  the  words  by  the  pupils. 

2.  Immediately  after  collection  of  the  papers  the  teacher  was 
to  write  the  first  word  in  the  list  on  the  board,  pronouncing  it 
and  have  the  pupils  pronounce  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  The  pupils  were  to  write  the  word  twice  and  cover  the 
words,  immediately  after  being  written  twice,  with  a  piece  of 
cardboard. 

4.  The  teacher  was  to  erase  word  and  proceed  to  the  next  word 
in  the  same  way  until  the  list  was  completed. 

5.  After  the  study  of  the  entire  list  the  teacher  was  to  pro- 
nounce the  words  to  the  class  and  have  the  pupils  exchange 
papers  and  mark  the  words  that  were  missed.  The  teacher  was 
to  spell  words  for  the  pupils  and  have  those  marked  that  were 
missed.  The  teacher  was  to  be  sure  that  the  corrections  were 
made  accurately.  Papers  were  to  be  collected  immediately 
after  their  correction. 

B-2. — I.  The  teacher  was  instructed  to  dictate  words  to  class, 
pronouncing  each  word  once,  distinctly,  being  careful  not  to 
pronounce  the  words  so  slowly  that  it  was  equal  to  spelling  the 
word  for  the  pupil,  but  to  pronounce  it  clearly  as  in  ordinary 
conversation.  Immediately  after  the  list  was  dictated  to  the 
class  the  papers  were  collected.  Later  these  papers  were  cor- 
rected and  a  record  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  previous 
to  the  study  of  the  words  by  the  pupils. 


Experimental   Sttidies   in   Spelling  19 

2.  Immediately  after  collection  of  the  papers  the  teacher  was 
to  write  the  first  word  in  the  list  on  the  board,  pronouncing  it 
and  have  the  pupils  pronounce  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  The  pupils  were  to  write  the  word  once  and  cover  the  word 
just  written  with  a  piece  of  cardboard. 

4.  The  teacher  was  to  cover  the  word  and  proceed  with  the 
next  word  in  the  same  way  until  the  list  was  completed. 

5.  Then  the  teacher  was  to  uncover  the  first  word  and  have  the 
pupils  write  the  word  a  second  time,  erase  the  first  word  and 
proceed  with  the  next  word  in  the  same  way  until  the  list  was 
completed. 

4.  All  tests  were  made  between  nine  (9)  and  ten  (10)  o'clock 
A.  M. 

5.  The  weather  conditions  were  noted  in  each  test. 

6.  The  length  of  time  spent  in  study  of  the  words  in  each  test 
was  kept.  The  time  for  A-i  should  be  the  same  as  for  A-2;  for 
B-i  the  same  as  for  B-2. 

7.  The  papers  of  each  pupil  who  was  not  present  for  all  the 
tests  and  the  papers  of  children  decidedly  abnormal  in  spelling 
were  not  considered  in  the  test. 

8.  Each  list  of  words  was  pronounced  at  the  end  of  a  week 
and  the  papers  corrected  as  before.  This  was  done  with  the 
idea  of  showing  the  permanency  of  results. 

g.  A  record  was  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  the  first 
time  the  words  were  pronounced,  the  number  missed  after  the 
study  of  the  words  and  the  number  missed  at  the  end  of  the 
week.  This  record  was  made  for  each  test.  The  number  of 
words  learned  in  the  study,  i.  e.  the  number  missed  before  the 
study  less  the  number  missed  after  the  study  divided  by  the 
number  missed  before  the  study  gives  the  per  cent  of  words 
learned.  A  comparison  of  per  cent  of  words  learned  in  A- 1 
with  A-2  gives  the  result  of  the  test;  of  B-i  with  B-2  gives  the 
result  of  the  second  part  of  the  test.  The  results  for  the  end  of 
the  week  were  obtained  by  dividing  the  number  learned  for  at 
least  a  week,  i.  e.  the  number  missed  before  the  study  less  the 
number  missed  at  the  end  of  the  week,  by  the  number  missed 
before  the  study. 


20 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 
TABLE  I 


Males,  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of       Number  of      Number  of  Percentage 

Number  of    Words  Missed  Words  Missed        Words  of  Words 

Pupils.         Before  Study     After  Study       Learned  Learned 

Grade  III 29                 368               212               156  43 

Grade  IV 23                 279               138               141  50 

Grade  V 10                   96                 30                 66  68 

Grade  VI 15                  139                 53                 86  62 

Grade  VII 17                    95                 26                 69  73 

Grade  VIII 14                 104                 14                90  86 

Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 29                309               167               142  46 

Grade  IV 23                219               115               104  47 

Grade  V 10                 loi                 38                 63  62 

Grade  VI 15                iii                 30                81  73 

Grade  VII 17                 119                 47                 72  60 

Grade  VIII 14                  78                  10                 68  87 


The  weather  was  clear  for  the  tests  in  A-i  and  A-2. 

The  time  required  for  all  the  tests  was  the  same  excepting  the 
following:  Grade  VI  A- 1,  ^  min.  less  than  same  grade  A-2; 
Grade  VIII  A-i,  }4  min.  less  than  same  grade  A-2. 

The  average  time  was  6  min. 

Females,  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of      Number  of       Number   of       Percentage 


Number  of    Words  Missed  Words  Missed        Words 


Pupils 

Grade  III 28 

Grade  IV 24 

Grade  V 20 

Grade  VI 16 

Grade  VII 23 

Grade  VIII 10 


Before  Study  After  Study 

336  179 

220  68 

143  25 

132  32 


123 
61 


22 


Learned 
157 

118 

100 

lOI 

56 


of  Words 
Learned 

47 
69 
83 
76 
81 
92 


347 

148 

199 

57 

173 

56 

117 

68 

142 

32 

III 

n 

117 

10 

107 

92 

172 

49 

123 

72 

40 

I 

39 

98 

Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling  21 

Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 28 

Grade  IV 24 

Grade  V 20 

Grade  VI 16 

Grade  VII 23 

Grade  VIII 10 

The  weather  and  the  time  conditions  were  the  same  as  males, 
Table  I. 


Totaly  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of      Number   of      Number   of      Percentage 
Number  of    Words  Missed  Words  Missed         Words  of  Words 

Pupils         Before   Study   After  Study        Learned  Learned 

Grade  III 57 

Grade  IV 47 

Grade  V 30 

Grade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 40 

Grade  VIII 24 

Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 57  656  315  341  52 

Grade  IV 47  392  171  221  57 

Grade  V 30  243  70  173  70 

Grade  VI 31  228  40  188  83 

Grade  VII 40  291  96  195  67 

Grade  VIII 24  118  11  107  93 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  males. 


704 

391 

313 

44 

499 

206 

293 

60 

239 

55 

184 

76 

271 

85 

186 

69 

218 

48 

170 

77 

165 

19 

146 

88 

22 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


TABLE  II 

Males,  Immediately  After  Study 

Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of     Number  of      Number  of      Number   of  Percentage 

Pupils.        Words  Missed  Words  Missed         Words  of  Words 

Before  Study   After  Study        Learned  Learned 

Grade  III 29                 159               173             *-i4  *-9 

Grade  IV 23                 253                155                 98  39 

Grade  V 10                  86                37                49  57 

Grade  VI 15                 128                 36                 92  72 

Grade  VII 17                   81                 26                 55  68 

Grade  VIII 14                  57                  3                 54  95 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 

of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 29                 389                191                198  51 

Grade  IV 23                 281                144               137  48 

Grade  V 10                   75                  15                 60  80 

Grade  VI 15                  106                 24                 82  77 

Grade  VII 17                   89                 29                 60  68 

Grade  VIII 14                   69                 13                 56  82 

The  weather  was  clear  for  tests  B-i  and  B-2. 

The  time  required  for  all  the  tests  was  practically  the  same, 

with  the  following  exceptions:  Grade  IV  B-i,  i  min.  more  than 
B-2;  Grade  VII  and  VIII  B-i,  >^  min.  less  than  same  grades 
B-2.     The  average  time  was  9!/^  min. 

The  time  required  for  Grades  III  and  IV  was  longer  than  the 
time  for  other  grades  because  of  taking  more  time  to  write  the 
words. 

Females,  Immediately  After  Study 

Test  B-i — Two    written    repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of      Number  of       Number  of       Number  of  Percentage 

Pupils         Words  Missed  Words  Missed        Words  of  Words 

Before  Study   After  Study         Learned  Learned 

Grade  III 28       350       96      254  73 

Grade  IV 123       255       61.      194  76 

Grade  V 20       150       34      "6  77 

Grade  VI 16       119       21       98  82 

Grade  VII 23       104       27       77  74 

Grade  VIII 10        30        2       28  93 

*  More  words  missed  after  the  study  than  were  missed  before  the  study. 


417 

137 

280 

67 

145 

45 

100 

68 

124 

8 

116 

93 

113 

12 

lOI 

90 

io6 

9 

97 

91 

32 

3 

29 

90 

Experimental   Stydies   in   Spelling  23 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 28 

Grade  IV 24 

Grade  V 20 

Grade  VI 16 

Grade  VII 23 

Grade  VIII 10 

The  weather  and  the  time  conditions  same  as  males,  Table  II. 


Total,  Immediately  After  Study 

Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of     Number  of      Number  of     Number  of       Percentage 
Pupils        Words  Missed  Words  Missed       Words  of  Words 

Before   Study    After  Study        Learned  Learned 

Grade  III 57  509  269  240  45 

Grade  IV 47  508  216  292  58 

Grade  V 30  236  71  165  69 

Grade  VI 31  247  57  190  77 

Grade  VII 40  185  53  132  71 

Grade  VIII 24  87  5  ^2  94 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 57 

Grade  IV 47 

Grade  V 30 

Gade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 40 

Grade  VIII 24 

The  weather  and  the  time  conditions  same  as  males,  Table  II. 


806 

328 

478 

59 

426 

189 

237 

58 

199 

23 

176 

87 

219 

36 

183 

84 

195 

38 

157 

81 

lOI 

16 

85 

86 

Number  of 

Number 

Number  of 

Percentage 

Words  Missed 

Missed  at 

Words 

of  Words 

Before  Study  End  of  Week 

Retained 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

368 

260 

108 

30 

279 

177 

102 

36 

96 

48 

48 

50 

139 

68 

71 

51 

95 

75 

20 

21 

104 

36 

68 

65 

24  Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 

TABLE  III 

MaleSy  at  End  of  Week 
Test  A-i — ^Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of 
Pupils 

Grade  III 29 

Grade  IV 23 

Grade  V 10 

Grade  VI 15 

Grade  VII 17 

Grade  VIII 14 

Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 29  309  233  76  25 

Grade  IV 23  219  159  60  27 

Grade  V 10  loi  57  44  44 

Grade  VI 15  in  58  53  47 

Grade  VII 17  119  72  47  40 

Grade  VIII 14  78  31  47  61 

Weather  was  clear  in  each  case. 

As  there  was  no  time  spent  in  study  the  time  was  not  noted. 

Females,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

t 

Number 
of  Pupils 

Grade  III 28 

Grade  IV 24 

Grade  V 20 

Grade  VI 16 

Grade  VII 23  123  46  77  62 

Grade  VIII 10  61  28  33  54 

Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Number  of 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Percentage 

Words  Missed 

Words 

Words 

of  Words 

Before   Study 

Missed  at 

Retained 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

End  of  Week 

336 

266 

70 

21 

220 

85 

135 

62 

143 

39 

104 

73 

132 

44 

88 

66 

Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


25 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


28 

24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


347 
173 
142 
117 
172 
40 


208 
108 
58 
47 
65 
14 


139 
65 
84 
70 

107 
26 


40 
38 
60 
60 
63 
65 


Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  for  males. 


Totalt  at  End  of  Week 


Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Number  of  Number 

Number  of    Words  Missed    Missed    at 
Pupils         Before  Study  End  of  Week 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


57 
47 
30 
31 
40 
24 


704 
499 
239 
271 
218 
165 


526 
262 

87 
112 
121 

64 


Number  Percentage 

of  Words         of  Words 
Retained        Learned  at 
End  of  Week 


178 
237 
152 
159 

97 

lOI 


26 

49 
62 

59 
41 
60 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of 
which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


57 
47 
30 
31 
40 

24 


656 

392 
243 
228 
291 
118 


441 
267 
115 
105 
137 
45 


215 
125 
128 
123 
154 
73 


33 
33 
53 
54 
52 
63 


Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  for  males. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

TABLE  IV 

Males,  at  End  of  Week 


Test  B-i — ^Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.  . 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of        Number 


Number  of       Percentage 


Number 

Words 

Missed  at 

Words 

of  Words 

of  Pupils 

Missed 
Before  Study 

End  of  Week 

Retained 

Learned  at 
End  of  Week 

29 

159 

241 

*-82 

*-5i 

23 

253 

194 

59 

24 

ID 

86 

49 

37 

43 

15 

128. 

55 

73 

56 

81 

57 


75 
17 


40 


71 


Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 29  289  261  128  51 

Grade  IV 23  281  195  86  30 

Grade  v.. 10  75  36  39  51 

Grade  VI 15  106  51  55  51 

Grade  VII 17  89  62  27  30 

Grade  VIII 14  69  27  42  61 

Weather  was  clear  in  each  case. 

As  there  was  no  time  spent  in  study  the  time  was  not  noted. 

Females,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  B-i — ^Two    written   repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of         Number         Number  of       Percentage 


Number  of    Words  Missed     Missed    at 


Words 


of  Words 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . , 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Pupils        Before  Study  End  of  Week       Retained        Learned   at 

End  of  Week 

33 
53 
67 
63 


28 
24 
20 
16 

23 
ID 


350 
255 
150 
119 
104 
30 


234 
120 

50 

43 

54 


116 

135 
100 
76 
50 
25 


48 
83 


♦  Number  of  words  missed  at  end  of  the  week  was  greater  than  in  preliminary  test. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling  27 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 28  417  252  165  40 

Grade  IV 24  145  130  15  10 

Grade  V 20  124  42  82  66 

Grade  VI 16  113  50  63  56 

Grade  VII 23  106  42  64  6i 

Grade  VIII 10  32  10  22  47 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  for  males,  Table  IV. 

Total,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 24  87  22  65               75 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 

length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 57  806  513  293               46 

Grade  IV 47  426  325  loi               23 

Grade  V 30  199  78  121               59 

Grade  VI 31  219  loi  118               55 

Grade  VII 40  195  104  91               46 

Grade  VIII 24  loi  37  64               64 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  for  males,  Table  IV. 


Number  of 

Number 

Number  of 

Percentage 

nberof 

Words  Missed 

Missed  at 

Words 

of  Words 

upils 

Before  Study 

End  ot  Week 

Retained 

Learned  at 
End  of   Week 

57 

509 

475 

34 

9 

47 

508 

314 

194 

39 

30 

236 

99 

137 

55 

31 

247 

98 

159 

60 

40 

185 

129 

56 

30 

28  Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 

TABLE  V 
Males,  Immediately  After  Study 


Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Average  Average 

Number  of     Number  of      Number  of 
Pupils        Words  Missed  Words  Missed 
Before  Study   After  Study 


Grade  HI.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


29 

23 
10 

15 
17 

14 


12.7 
12. 1 
9.6 
9.2 
5.5 
7-4 


Average 

Number  of 

Words 

Learned 

5.4 

6.1 

6.6 

5.7 

4- 

6.4 


Percentage 
of  Words 
Learned 


43 
50 
68 
62 

73 
86 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


29 

23 

ID 
15 
17 
14 


46 

47 
62 

73 
60 

87 


Females,  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Average  Average 

Number  of      Number  if      Number  of 
Pupils        Words  Missed  Words  Missed 
Before  Study   After  Study 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


28 
24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


12. 

91 
7.2 
9.2 

5-3 
6.1 


6.1 
2.8 

1-3 
2. 
I. 
.5 


Average 

Number  of 

Words 

Learned 

5-9 
6.2 

5-9 
7.2 
4-3 
5.6 


Percentage 
of  Words 
Learned 


47 
69 
83 
76 
81 
92 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


29 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . , 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Test  A-i- 


Grade  III. 
Grade  IV.. 
Grade  V. . . 
Grade  VI. . 
Grade  VII. 


28 

12.4 

5-3 

7.1 

57 

24 

7.2 

2.3 

4-9 

68 

20 

71 

1.6 

5-5 

77 

16 

7-3 

.6 

6.7 

92 

23 

7-5 

2.1 

5-4 

72 

10 

4.0 

.1 

3  9 

98 

Total, 

Immediately  After  Study 

al  repetitions — continuous. 

Average 

Average 

Average 

Percentage 

dumber 

of      Number  of 

Number   of 

Number  of 

of  Words 

Pupils 

Words  Missed  Words  Missed 

Words 

Learned 

Before  Study 

After  Study 

Learned 

57 

12.4 

6.7 

5-7 

44 

47 

10.6 

4-4 

6.2 

60 

30 

8.4 

2.2 

6.8 

76 

31 

9.2 

2:7 

6.5 

69 

Grade  VIII. 


40 
24 


5-4 
6.8 


1.3 
.8 


41 


77 
88 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


57 
47 
30 
31 
40 

24 


52 
58 
70 

83 
67 
93 


TABLE  VI 

Males,  Immediately  After  Study 


Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 

29 
23 
10 

15 
17 
14 


Average  Average 

Number  of      Number   of 

Words  Missed  Words  Missed 

Before  Study  After  Study 

5.5  6. 
II.  6.7 

8.6  37 
8.5  2.4 
4.8  1.5 


Average 

Number  of 

Words 

Learned 

*-.5 


Percentage 

of  Words 
Learned 

*-9 
39 
57 
72 
68 

95 


*  More  words  were  missed  after  study  tham  before  the  study. 


30 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


29 
23 

ID 
15 

17 
14 


13-4 
12.2 

7.5 
7.1 
5.2 
4.9 


6.6 
6.3 
1-5 
1.6 
1.6 
•9 


6.8 
9 


51 
48 
80 

77 
68 
82 


Females y  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  B-i — ^Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII. . . . 


Number  of 
Pupils 

28 
24 
20 
16 

23 
ID 


Average            Average 

Number  of      Number  of 

Words  Missed  Words  Missed 

Before  Study   After  Study 

Average 

Number  of 

Words 

Learned 

Percentage 
of  Words 
Learned 

12.5 
10.6 

3-4 
2.5 

9.1 

8.1 

73 
76 

7.5 
7.4 

1.7 
1.3 

5.8 
6.1 

77 
82 

4.3 

1.2 

31 

74 

3- 

.2 

2.8 

93 

Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


28 

24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


15. 
6. 
6.2 

7.1 

.4.6 

3.2 


lO.I 

41 
5-8 
6.4 
4.2 

2.9 


67 
68 

93 
90 

91 
90 


Total,  Immediately  After  Study 
Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III. . 
Grade  IV. . . 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


Number   of 
Pupils 


57 
47 
30 
31 
40 

24 


Average 

Average 

Average 

Percentage 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Number  of 

of  Words 

Words  Missed  Words  Missed 

Words 

Learned 

Before  Study 

After  Study 

Learned 

9- 

4-7 

4-3 

32 

10.8 

4.6 

6.2 

58 

8.1 

2.7 

5-9 

69 

7.9 

1-9 

6.1 

77 

4.6 
3.6 


1-4 
.2 


3-2 
3-4 


71 
94 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


31 


Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. 
Grade  VIII. 


57 

14.2               5.8 

47 

9.1               4.1 

30 

6.9               I. 

31 

7.1                1.2 

40 

4.8               I. 

24 

4.1                  .6 

TABLE  VII 

59 
58 
87 
84 
81 
86 


Males,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 

29 

23 
ID 

15 
17 
14 


Average  Average  Average         Percentage 

Number  of         Number  Number  of  Words 

Words  Missed     Missed  at       Learned  at      Learned  at 
Before  Study  End  of  Week  End  of  Week  End  of  Week 


12.7 

12. I 

9.6 

9.2 

5-5 
7-4 


30 
36 
50 
51 
21 

65 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI.., 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


29 
23 

ID 

15 
17 
14 


8.5 
2.6 

4-4 
3.5 
2.8 

3.4 


25 
27 
44 
47 
40 
61 


Females,  at  End  0}  Week 
Test  A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 

28 

•    24 

20 

16 

23 
10 


Average  Average  Average         Percentage 

Number  of         Number  Number         Learned  at 

Words  Missed     Missed    at      Learned   at     End  of  Week 
Before  Study  End  of  Week  End  of  Week 


12. 
9 

7 
9 

5- 
6. 


9-5 

3-5 

19 

2.8 

2. 

2.8 


21 
62 

73 
66 

54 
54 


32 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


Test  A-2 — ^Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


28 
24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


7-4 
4-5 
2.9 
2.9 
2.8 
1-4 


40 
38 
60 
60 
63 
65 


Total,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  A-i — ^Two  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III. . 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Average 

Average 

Average 

Percentage 

Number  of 

Number  of 

Number 

Numbered 

Learned  at 

Pupils 

Words  Missed 

Missed   at 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

Before  Study 

End  of  Week 

End  of  Week 

57 

12.4 

9.2 

3-2 

26 

47 

10.6 

5-6 

5- 

49 

30 

8.4 

3.3 

5.1 

62 

31 

9.2 

3-7 

5.5 

59 

40 
24 


5-4 
6.8 


3-2 

2.7 


2.2 
4.1 


41 
60 


Test  A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.  . 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


57 
47 
30 
31 
40 

24 


7-7 
5-7 
4-3 
3-4 
3-5 
1.8 


33 
33 
53 
54 
52 
63 


TABLE  VIII 

Males,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  B-i — ^Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 

Average  Average 

Number  of  Number 
Words  Missed  Missed  at 
Before  Study   End  of  Week 


Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 

Number  of 
Pupils 

29 
23 
10 

15 
17 
14 


5-5 
II. 
8.6 

8.5 
4.8 

41 


Average 

Number 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

*-2.8 


2.9 


Percentage 

of    Words 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

*-5i 
24 

43 

56 

8 

71 


More  words  were  missed  at  the  end  of  week  than  were  missed  before  study. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


33 


Test  B-2 — ^Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 


29 

134 

9- 

4.4 

51 

23 

12.2 

8.5 

3-7 

30 

10 

7-5 

3-6 

3  9 

51 

15 

71 

3-4 

3-7 

52 

17 

5-2 

3.6 

1.6 

30 

14 

4-9 

19 

3- 

61 

Females,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 

28 

24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


Average 

Number  of 

Words  Missed 

Before  Study 

12.5 


Average 

Number 

Missed    at 


Average 

Number 

Learned  at 


End  of  Week   End  of  Week 


8.4 
5 


Percentage 

of    Words 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

33 
53 
67 
63 


48 
83 


Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 


28 

24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


15. 
6. 
6.2 

7.1 
4.6 
32 


9- 

5-4 

2.1 

31 
1.8 
I. 


6. 

.6 
41 
4- 
2.8 
2.2 


40 
10 
66 
56 
61 

47 


Total,  at  End  of  Week 
Test  B-i — Two  written  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 

57 
47 
30 
31 
40 

24 


Average 

Number  of 

Words  Missed 

Before  Study 

9- 

10.8 
8.1 

7  9 
4.6 
3.6 


Average 

Number 

Missed    at 


Average 

Number 

Learned  at 


End  of  Week    End  of  Week 


.6 
41 
4-4 
4-7 
1.2 

2.7 


Percentage 

of    Words 

Learned  at 

End  of  Week 

7 
39 
35 
60 
30 
75 


34 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


Test  B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an   interval  the 
length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III.  . 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


57 

14.2               9. 

47 

9.1               6.9 

30 

6.9               2.9 

31 

71               3.3 

40 

4.8               2.7 

24 

41             15- 

TABLE  IX 

5-2 
2.2 

4- 

3.8 

2.1 
2.6 


46 
23 

59 

55 
46 
64 


Comparison  of  Test  A-i  and  A-2 — A-i — Two  oral  repetitions — continuous; 
A-2 — Two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length 
of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


Percent.  Learned 
Number  of      Immediately  After  Study- 
Pupils  A-I  A-2 


Males 


Grade  III..., 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII. . . 
Grade  VIII.. 

Grade  III... 
Grade  IV.... 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI. . . . 
Grade  VII. . . 
Grade  VIII. . 

Grade  III... 
Grade  IV.... 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI. . . . 

Grade  VII. . . 

Grade  VIII. . 

Average  . .  . 


29 
23 

ID 
15 
17 
14 


28 

24 
20 
16 

23 
10 


57 
47 
30 

31 
40 

24 


43 

46 

50 

47 

68 

62 

62 

73 

73 

60 

86 

87 

Females 

47 

57 

69 

68 

83 

77 

76 

92 

81 

72 

92 

98 

Total 

44 

52 

60 

58 

76 

70 

69 

83 

77 

67 

88 

93 

69 

49 

Percent 

Learned 

at   End 

of  Week 

A-I 

A-2 

30 

25 

36 

27 

50 

44 

51 

47 

21 

40 

65 

61 

21 

40 

62 

38 

73 

60 

66 

60 

62 

63 

54 

65 

26 

33 

49 

33 

62 

53 

59 

54 

41 

52 

60 

63 

70.5 

48 

Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


35 


TABLE  X 


Comparison  of  Test  B-i  and  B-2 — B-i — Two  written  repetitions — con- 
tinuous; B-2 — Two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other  words  of 
the  list. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV.., 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 

Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 

Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 
Average. . . 


Examination  of  results  shows  that  Grades  4,  5,  and  7  learned 
the  largest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  A-i,  two  oral  repetitions 
— continuous  and  that  Grades  3,  6,  and  8  learned  the  largest  per- 
centage of  words  in  A-2 — two  oral  repetitions — one  repetition 
after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to 
study  the  other  words  of  the  list. 


umber  of 

Percent. 

Learned 

Percent. 

Learned 

Pupils 

Immediately  After  Study 

at  End  of  Week 

B-I 

B-2 

B-I 

B-2 

Males 

29 

-9 

51 

-51 

51 

23 

39 

48 

24 

30 

10 

57 

80 

43 

51 

15 

72 

77 

56 

52 

17 

68 

68 

8 

46 

14 

95 

82 

71 

61 

Females 

28 

73 

67 

33 

40 

24 

76 

68 

53 

10 

20 

77 

93 

67 

66 

16 

82 

90 

63 

56 

23 

74 

91 

48 

61 

10 

93 
Total 

90 

83 

47 

57 

32 

59 

-9 

46 

47 

58 

58 

39 

23 

30 

69 

87 

55 

59 

31 

77 

84 

60 

55 

40 

71 

81 

30 

46 

24 

94 

86 

75 

64 

66.8 

41-5 

75-8 

48.8 

^YSIS 

OF  Test 

A-I    AND 

A-2. 

36  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

The  average  percentage  of  words  learned  in  the  six  grades  in 
Test  A-i  is  69  per  cent;  in  A-2  is  70.5  per  cent,  making  1.5  per 
cent  in  favor  of  A-2,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  repetition 
after  an  interval.  In  general  the  result  was  the  same  at  the  end 
of  the  week. 

Analysis  of  Test  B-i  and  B-2 

Examination  of  results  shows  that  Grade  8  learned  the  largest 
percentage  of  words  in  Test  B-i — two  written  repetitions — con- 
tinuous and  that  Grade  4  learned  the  same  percentage  in  B-i 
and  B-2.  Grades  3,  5,  6,  and  7  learned  a  larger  percentage  of 
words  in  B-2 — two  written  repetitions — one  repetition  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the 
other  words  of  the  list. 

The  average  percentage  of  words  learned  in  the  six  grades  in 
Test  B-I  is  66.8  per  cent;  in  B-2,  75.8  per  cent,  making  9  per 
cent  in  favor  of  B-2,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  repeti- 
tion after  an  interval.  B-2  differed  from  A-2  in  form  of  repe- 
tition, B-2  being  written  repetition.  In  general  the  result  was 
the  same  at  the  end  of  the  week. 

In  both  parts  of  this  experiment,  the  final  average  points  very 
clearly  to  repetition  after  an  interval  as  being  more  effective  in 
memorizing,  although,  especially  in  Tests  A- 1  and  A-2,  there  are 
individual  exceptions  in  certain  grades. 


PART  II 

Experiment  II 

The  purpose  of  this  experiment  was  the  same  as  Experiment 
in  Part  I. 

The  plan  of  the  experiment  as  used  in  Part  I  was  modified  as 
follows:  Experience  as  gained  in  Part  I  made  it  evident  that  it 
would  be  desirable  to  have  one  person  conduct  the  entire  experi- 
ment. Hence,  I  concluded  to  conduct  the  experiment  entirely 
myself,  not  having  the  teachers  assist  me  in  any  way.  This 
plan  I  found  impracticable'  for  the  following  reasons : 

1.  It  required  more  time  than  I  could  give  to  it  to  conduct 
the  experiment  in  the  different  grades. 

2.  The  change  in  hand  writing  from  that  of  teacher  was  a 
disturbing  factor.  This  could  be  avoided  by  the  teacher  writing 
the  words  on  the  board. 

3.  The  grades  being  located  in  two  buildings,  it  was  impossible 
to  conduct  the  test  on  the  same  day.  Not  doing  it  on  the  same 
day,  pupils  of  the  same  grade  would  talk  about  the  test  and  thus 
make  a  disturbing  factor  that  would  largely  invalidate  results. 

Another  plan  considered  was  to  have  pupils  study  an  advance 
lesson  in  the  book  instead  of  writing  words  on  the  board.  This 
would  have  the  very  great  advantage  of  being  similar  to  the 
preparation  of  the  ordinary  spelling  lesson. 

The  objections  to  this  are:  (i).  No  way  to  be  certain  that 
pupils  study  as  directed.  (2).  Not  likely  to  have  maximum  of 
attention. 

The  following  plan  was  used  in  this  test: 

1.  The  test  was  made  in  grades  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  and  8. 

2.  Twenty  words  in  each  test  were  selected  so  that  there  was 
a  large  number  of  words  to  be  learned  by  the  class. 

3.  All  the  tests  were  made  at  the  same  time  of  the  day  between 
8:45  and  10:00  A.  M.  This  was  done  so  as  to  have  as  nearly 
as  possible  the  same  mental  condition. 

37 


38  Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 

4.  The  weather  conditions  were  noted  as  clear,  fair,  or  cloudy. 
As  the  test  was  conducted  in  February  and  March,  the  tempera- 
ture being  uniform  in  the  rooms,  the  temperature  was  not  a 
factor.  If  conducted  in  Spring  or  Fall  the  temperature  would 
be  noted,  as  it  would  be  a  disturbing  factor. 

5.  Any  pupil  especially  abnormal  as  to  spelling  was  not 
counted  in  this  test.  They  took  the  work  with  the  class,  but 
papers  were  rejected  in  results.  The  same  was  done  with  re- 
spect to  pupils  that  were  not  in  good  physical  condition  at  the 
time  of  the  test. 

6.  The  length  of  time  spent  in  study  of  words  in  each  test  was 
noted.  This  time  should  not  vary  more  than  half  a  minute. 
By  careful  trial  the  time  for  each  test  in  Series  I  was  shown  to 
be  practically  the  same.     The  same  was  true  of  Series  2. 

7.  Only  the  papers  for  pupils  present  for  all  tests  in  Series  I 
were  considered.     The  same  was  true  for  Series  2. 

8.  The  same  list  of  words  was  pronounced  at  the  end  of  a 
week.     This  was  called  the  Review. 

9.  The  teachers  of  the  grades  pronounced  the  words  of  the 
tests  to  the  class  according  to  the  following  directions.  All 
papers  were  corrected  under  my  immediate  direction. 

10.  The  results  were  recorded  as  follows:  A  record  was  made 
of  the  words  missed  in  the  preliminary  test,  of  the  number 
missed  after  the  study,  and  the  number  missed  at  the  end  of  the 
week.  The  number  missed  in  the  preliminary  test  less  the 
number  missed  after  study  was  the  number  learned.  The  num- 
ber learned  divided  by  the  number  possible  to  be  learned,  i.  e., 
number  missed  after  preliminary  test,  gave  the  percentage 
learned. 

Objection — The  device  was  likely  to  be  a  disturbing  factor.  I 
would  suggest  that  this  device  could  be  dispensed  with.  Upon 
trial  I  believe  the  pupils  will  concentrate  on  the  word  as 
directed  by  pointing  to  it  without  covering  with  device. 

Plan  of  Tests 

Make  tests  immediately  after  opening  exercises.  Words  to 
be  written  on  board  before  pupils  come  into  room  and  covered 
until  ready  to  study  words. 


Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling  39 

Series  A — Test  i 

1.  Dictate  words  to  class.     Collect  papers  immediately. 

2.  {a)  Experimenter  pronounce  the  word. 

{h)  Pupils  pronounce  and  spell  the  word  in  concert. 
{c)  Pronounce  and  spell  the  word  in  concert. 
{d)  Pronounce  and  spell  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  Study  each  succeeding  word  in  the  same  way  as  the  first 
word  was  studied,  completing  the  list. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Test  II 

1.  Dictate  words  to  class.     Collect  papers  immediately. 

2.  (a)  Experimenter  pronounce  the  word. 

{b)  Pupils  pronounce  and  spell  the  word  in  concert. 

3.  Study  each  succeeding  word  in  the  same  way  as  first  word 
was  studied,  completing  the  list. 

(a)  Study  entire  list  a  second  time  in  the  same  way. 
{h)  Study  entire  list  a  third  time  in  the  same  way. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Series  A — Test  III 

1.  Dictate  words  to  class.     Collect  paj>ers  immediately. 

2.  (a)  Experimenter  pronounce  word. 

{h)  Pupils  pronounce  the  first  word  and  spell  the  first  word 

in  concert  twice. 
{c)  Pronounce    and    spell    the    first    word     in     concert. 
Complete  the  list. 
4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Note — A  comparison  in  test  i,  2,  and  3  shows  that  in  test  i 
each  word  was  pronounced  three  times  in  succession;  in  test  2 
each  word  was  pronounced  and  studied  three  times  after  an 
interval,  i.  e.,  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list.  In  test 
3  each  word  was  pronounced  and  studied  three  times — twice 


40  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

in  succession  and  once  after  an  interval,  the  interval  being  the 
time  since  the  last  repetition,  which  interval  is  a  variable  quantity, 
since  the  interval  for  the  first  word  is  the  time  required  to  study 
nineteen  words  twice  and  for  the  second  word  the  time  required 
to  study  eighteen  words  twice  and  one  word  once,  etc. 

Series  B — Test  I 

1.  Dictate  words  to  the  class.     Collect  papers  immediately. 

2.  (a)  Experimenter  pronounce  word. 
{b)  Pupils  pronounce  word  in  concert. 

(c)  Pupils  spell  the  first  word  four  times  in  concert  in  suc- 
cession. 

3.  Study  each  succeeding  word  in  the  same  way  as  the  first 
word  was  studied,  completing  the  list. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Test  II 

1.  Dictate  words  to  class.     Collect  the  papers  immediately. 

2.  {a)  Experimenter  pronounce  first  word. 

{h)  Pupils  pronounce  first  word  in  concert, 
(c)  Pupils  spell  first  word  once  in  concert. 

3.  Complete  the  list,  then  repeat  the  same  process  three  times. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Test  III 

1 .  Dictate  words  to  the  class.     Collect  the  papers  immediately. 

2.  (a)  Experimenter  pronounce  the  first  word. 

{h)  Pupils  pronounce  the  first  word  in  concert. 

(c)  Pupils  spell  the  first  word  twice  in  succession  in  concert. 

3.  Complete  the  list,  then  repeat — 2  {c). 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  words  to  class  immediately  after 
completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Test  IV 

I.  Dictate  the  words  to  the  class.     Collect  the  papers  imme- 
diately. 


Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 


41 


2.  Experimenter  pronounce  first  word. 

(a)  Pupils  pronounce  the  first  word  in  concert. 
{b)  Pupils  spell  first  word  twice  in  succession. 

3.  Complete  the  list,  then  go  over  the  list  twice,  spelling  each 
word  once  each  time. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce  the  words  to  the  class  immediately- 
after  completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

Test  V 

1.  Dictate  words  to  the  class.     Collect  papers  immediately. 

2.  (a)  Experimenter  pronounce  first  word. 

{b)  Pupils  pronounce  the  first  word  in  concert. 
(c)  Pupils  spell  the  first  word  three  times  in  concert  in 
succession. 

3.  Complete  the  list,  then  go  over  the  list,  spelling  each  word 
once. 

4.  Experimenter  pronounce   the  words  to   the  class  imme- 
diately after  completion  of  list  and  collect  papers. 

The  following  list  of  words  was  used  in  Series  A. 

GRADE  III 


Test  i 

1.  clover 

2.  cloak 

3.  moment 

4.  leopard 

5.  currant 

6.  carrot 

7.  locate 

8.  language 

9.  wealthy 
ID.  weedy 
II.  thrush 


Test  2 

1.  locket 

2.  weave 

3.  psalm 

4.  perch 

5.  stiffen 

6.  ivory 

7.  elephant 

8.  heroes 

9.  stupid 

10.  against 

11.  northern 


Test  3 

1.  trolley 

2.  maiden 

3.  control 

4.  vale 

5.  weather 

6.  medicine 

7.  bluebells 

8.  umbrella 

9.  wisdom 

10.  pulse 

11.  wharf 


42 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


12.  cipher 

13.  weave 

14.  blade 

15.  vote 

16.  burdens 

17.  cocoa 

18.  choir 

19.  avoid 

20.  screw 


12.  several 

13.  cylinder 

14.  fragrant 

15.  tenderly 

16.  breathe 

17.  confuse 

18.  poison 

19.  prairie 

20.  mission 


12.  tract 

13.  quotient 

14.  minuend 

15.  volcano 

16.  equator 

17.  stomach 

18.  instead 

19.  grassy 

20.  scream 


GRADE  IV 


Test  i 

1.  dangerous 

2.  afternoon 

3.  contrivings 

4.  mulberry 

5.  scorpion 

6.  nuisance 

7.  saltpetre 

8.  sturgeon 

9.  exclamation 

10.  Colorado 

11.  camera 

12.  cement 

13.  Detroit 

14.  intelligence 

15.  alphabet 

16.  catkin 

17.  decimal 

18.  Carolina 

19.  diaphragm 

20.  spectacle 


Test  2 

1.  costume 

2.  cashier 

3.  expensive 

4.  ventilator 

5.  sparingly 

6.  succeeded 

7.  mimic 

8.  stifled 

9.  Lansing 

10.  caresses 

11.  ceiling 

12.  sapphire 

13.  interrogation 

14.  Minnesota 

15.  schooners 

16.  abundant 

17.  caravan 

18.  sinewy 

19.  capitol 

20.  irregular 


Test  3 

1.  flabby 

2.  derrick 

3.  Bermuda 

4.  doubly 

5.  Arcadia 

6.  consumption 

7.  declaration 

8.  average 

9.  coaxes 

10.  twitted 

11.  flimsy 

12.  banquet 

13.  Wednesday 

14.  ignorant 

15.  cartilage 

16.  piteous 

17.  anecdote 

18.  columbine 

19.  briers 

20.  obeyed 


Experimental   Sttcdies   in   Spelling 


43 


GRADE  V 


Test  i 

1.  coinage 

2.  albumen 

3.  special 

4.  emigrants 

5.  desirable 

6.  barbarous 

7.  longitude 

8.  cupola 

9.  Vancouver 

10.  gallantly 

11.  troupe 

12.  masticate 

13.  frightening 

14.  desirable 

15.  admittance 

16.  pungent 

17.  Ottawa 

18.  cigarette 

19.  gnarled 

20.  reverent 


Test  2 

1.  discipline 

2.  steadily 

3.  Seine 

4.  wholly 

5.  monstrous 

6.  demerit 

7.  Mackenzie 

8.  curbstone 

9.  auburn 

10.  disappoint 

11.  blithesome 

12.  actually 

13.  Oglethorpe 

14.  Marquette 

15.  sneaked 

16.  omission 

17.  dignified 

18.  excellent 

19.  chastening 

20.  czar 


Test  3 

1.  deserter 

2.  fashionable 

3.  pretense 

4.  scarecrow 

5.  chubby 

6.  career 

7.  essays 

8.  bosom 

9.  buttoning 

10.  Havana 

11.  degrees 

12.  longitude 

13.  damsel 

14.  cupola 

15.  demon 

16.  collier 

17.  daylight 

18.  denial 

19.  ruddier 

20.  demerit 


GRADE  VI 


Test  i 

1.  sinecure 

2.  optical 

3.  repelled 

4.  pretzel 

5.  Illinois 

6.  phosphate 

7.  numskull 

8.  papoose 

9.  Seattle 


Test  2 

1.  dimension 

2.  telephone 

3.  marrow 

4.  conqueror 

5.  masticate 

6.  isinglass 

7.  proteids 

8.  physician 

9.  astringent 


Test  3 

1.  trophy 

2.  fragile 

3.  vehemence 

4.  phonograph 

5.  resurrect 

6.  singeing 

7.  chrysalis 

8.  conqueror 

9.  razor 


44 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


10.  wreckage 

11.  pontoon 

12.  sycamore 

13.  millinery 

14.  intertwine 

15.  senior 

16.  gymnasium 

17.  parenthesis 

18.  pantaloons 

19.  pinion 

20.  Sumatra 


10.  oracle 

11.  ruffian 

12.  DuQuesne 

13.  pugilist 

14.  burglar 

15.  equivocate 

16.  vicissitude 

17.  phonograph 

18.  crockery 

19.  perforate 

20.  moral 


10.  firkin 

11.  bivalve 

12.  radius 

13.  pioneers 

14.  chattel 

15.  urgently 

16.  temperature 

17.  brogan 

18.  infringe 

19.  colonial 

20.  equivocate 


GRADE  VII 


Test  i 

1.  superficial 

2.  persistent 

3.  requisite 

4.  lusciousness 

5.  corpuscles 

6.  Mozambique 

7.  spiritualism 

8.  monotony 

9.  Oceanica 

10.  Yokohama 

11.  monstrosity 

12.  plague 

13.  proficient 

14.  ironical 

15.  subjugate 

16.  courteous 

17.  transparent 

18.  superbly 

19.  tincture 

20.  reversible 


Test  2 

1.  exhortation 

2.  pugnacious 

3.  systemic 

4.  carat 

5.  subterranean 

6.  rigorous 

7.  obscurity 

8.  luxuriant 

9.  Monotheism 
ID.  tragedian 

11.  cotton-gin 

12.  tortuous 

13.  submaxillary 

14.  peculiarly 

15.  originally 

16.  provender 

17.  propulsion 

18.  instigation 

19.  perjure 

20.  solicit 


Test  3 

1.  disinherit 

2.  equitable 

3.  joviality 

4.  aviary 

5.  auricles 

6.  condescend 

7.  officious 

8.  spasmodic 

9.  annually 

10.  humidity 

11.  sociability 

12.  luxurious 

13.  sewer 

14.  hydrant 

15.  ulcerate 

16.  petrify 

17.  perusal 

18.  pneumonia 

19.  translation 

20.  infinitive 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


45 


Test  I 

1.  thermometer 

2.  auditorium 

3.  Buchanan 

4.  antithesis 

5.  municipal 

6.  incandescent 

7.  collegiate 

8.  monastery 

9.  atomizer 
ID.  cuspidor 

11.  symmetry 

12.  courier 

13.  property 

14.  synecdoche 

15.  tympanum 

16.  statutory 

17.  puritanical 

18.  reservation 

19.  crystalline 

20.  lettuce 


GRADE  VIII 
Test  2 

1.  sepulcher 

2.  cranial 

3.  cotillion 

4.  complete 

5.  pulmonary 

6.  negotiable 

7.  commissary 

8.  translucent 

9.  auditorium 
ID.  bituminous 

11.  Lowell 

12.  enervate 

13.  misdemeanor 

14.  vaccinate 

15.  neuralgia 

16.  soliloquy 

17.  asylum 

18.  zouave 

19.  subsidize 

20.  audacious 


Test  3 

1.  treasonable 

2.  traditional 

3.  anodyne 

4.  ulceration 

5.  versatile 

6.  symmetry 

7.  congruity 

8.  putrefaction 

9.  thermometer 

10.  massacre 

11.  Barbadoes 

12.  visionary 

13.  Nevada 

14.  impassable 

15.  tyrannize 

16.  contusion 

17.  pulmonary 

18.  conception 

19.  volubility 

20.  solicitor 


46 


Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 


The  following  list  of  words  was  used  in  Series  B. 


GRADE  III 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

I.  walnut 

I.  breathe 

I.  acute 

I.  silence 

I.  Mongolian 

2.  cruelly 

2.  tighten 

2.  hateful 

2.  hinge 

2.  reptile 

3.  replied 

3.  southern 

3.  ashamed 

3.  sweat 

3.  rooster 

4.  mahogany 

4.  service 

4.  spicy 

4.  chalky 

4.  Mississippi 

5.  whoa 

5.  sneeze 

5.  odor 

5.  southern 

5.  treasure 

6.  tumbler 

6.  pistil 

6.  diamonds 

6.  Japanese 

6.  Malay 

7.  precious 

7.  bridle 

7.  oblique 

7.  enamel 

7.  saucy 

8.  Yucatan 

8.  semi-circle 

8.  foreign 

8.  exercise 

8.  complete 

9.  cinder 

9.  tempt 

9.  continent 

9.  bruises 

9.  temperature 

ID.  whiskey 

10.  tobacco 

10.  vegetable 

10.  Hiawatha 

10.  blacksmith 

II.  anxious 

II.  mahogany 

II.  isthmus 

II.  height 

II.  eighty 

12.  alligator 

12.  asparagus 

12.  moving 

12.  salad 

12.  captain 

13.  stomach 

13.  strength 

13.  walrus 

13.  smother 

13.  shepherd 

14.  nineteen 

14.  Michigan 

14.  tuber 

14.  capital 

14.  pollen 

15.  waking 

15.  envelope 

15.  several 

15.  peninsula 

15.  corolla 

16.  parallel 

16.  hasten 

16.  Ontario 

16.  castle 

16.  calyx 

17.  kingdom 

17.  alcohol 

17.  chintz 

17.  soiling 

17.  Eskimos 

18.  queer 

18.  anvil 

18.  surround 

18.  whate'er 

18.  meddle 

19.  bicycle 

19.  prison 

19.  parson 

19.  person 

19.  mineral 

20.  petroleum 

20.  atmosphere 

20.  Chinese 

GRADE  IV 

20.  Schuylkill 

20.  erase 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

I.  polar 

I.  repose 

I.  obstacle 

I.  kerosene 

I.  exactly 

2.  pampas 

2.  clung 

2.  bargains 

2.  aisle 

2.  groceries 

3.  cemetery 

3.  project 

3.  geysers 

5.  arteries 

3.  sycamore 

4.  certain 

4.  formation 

4.  liquor 

4.  seizing 

4.  absorb 

5.  destruction 

5.  crayon 

5.  warriors 

5.  actual 

5.  abundant 

6.  delicious 

6.  farmyard 

6.  cologne 

6.  caution 

6.  annoy 

7.  repose 

7.  Whittier 

7.  telegraph 

7.  bouquet 

7.  pendulum 

8.  endeavor 

8.  ledger 

8.  sheltered 

8.  thorough 

8.  amethyst 

9.  China 

9.  bulbous 

9.  Mildred 

9.  disguise 

9.  conductor 

10.  plentiful 

10.  happily 

10.  nineteen 

10.  religious 

10.  singular 

II.  cleanliness 

II.  chasms 

II.  radiant 

II.  privilege 

II.  ourselves 

12.  brakeman 

12.  thistle 

12.  Yukon 

12.  scattering 

12.  Baltimore 

13.  chamois 

13.  plague 

13.  evident 

13.  niece 

13.  llama 

14.  Creator 

14.  medium 

14.  immense 

14.  drought 

14,  Chesapeake 

15.  contraction 

15.  City  Hall 

15.  knuckle 

15.  Elizabeth 

15.  perspiration 

16.  ridged 

15.  finally 

16.  alphabet 

16.  inflamed 

16.  squeeze 

17.  decorate 

17.  machine 

17.  absorb 

17.  knuckle 

17.  scissors 

18.  wrought 

18.  opinion 

18.  sunnier 

18.  Alabama 

18.  grammar 

19.  curious 

19.  obedient 

19.  quivering 

19.  sunnier 

19.  torture 

20.  vowel 

20.  monument 

20.  evident 

20.  censure 

20.  notable 

Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


47 


I. 

2. 

3- 
4. 
5- 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 
lo. 
II. 

12. 

14. 

15- 
16. 

17. 

18. 

19- 
20. 


ruddier 
clotted 
pretense 
fashionable 
dissolves 
Ottawa 
apparel 
thousandths     8. 
lemon  9. 

chocolate  10. 
punctual  II. 
diphtheria  12. 
Gettysburg  13. 
precipice  14. 
raisins 
abyss 
volcanic 
luscious 
encouraged  19. 
residence        20. 


15- 
16. 

17- 
18. 


crayon 

Raleigh 

multiple 

axle-tree 

apparatus 

hoarse 

Honolulu 

parenthesis 

decimal 

antennae 

bare-headed 

angrily 

whoop 

shamrock 

castile-soap 

better 

microscope 

fowl 

piteous 

methinks 


GRADE  V 
3 

1.  pursuit 

2.  imagine 

3.  sociable 

4.  capillaries 

5.  epaulets 

6.  Lehigh 

7.  oxygen 

8.  cavern 

9.  Cayenne 

10.  magistrate 

11.  whirling 

12.  poverty 

13.  glorious 

14.  sulphur 

15.  nautical 

16.  halibut 

17.  negligence 

18.  emerald 

19.  fertile 

20.  wanders 

GRADE  VI 


1.  cornstalk 

2.  engineer 

3.  woodbine 

4.  physician 

5.  Valparaiso 

6.  photograph 

7.  limpid 

8.  gorilla 

9.  Manila 

10.  colonel 

11.  avoirdupois 

12.  chrysalis 

13.  valiant 

14.  furnace 

15.  ceases 

16.  masticate 

17.  gallantry 

18.  gnarled 

19.  desirable 

20.  alcoholic 


5 

1.  cupola 

2.  troupe 

3.  scene 

4.  Magellan 

5.  receiving 

6.  wedded 

7.  reverent 

8.  aromatic 

9.  bruise 

10.  brew 

11.  whirling 

12.  plunging 

13.  conjunction 

14.  Missouri 

15.  adorned 

16.  demolish 

17.  chamois 

18.  government 

19.  smugglers 

20.  ejected 


1.  mutiny 

2.  proteids 

3.  humorist 

4.  microscope 

5.  equivocate 

6.  serenely 

7.  chastise 

8.  vehemence 

9.  pretzel 

10.  insolvent 

11.  oriole 

12.  ruffian 

13.  Monmouth 

14.  ascending 

15.  Brussels 

16.  couphng 

17.  battery 

18.  Pyrenees 

19.  twinging 

20.  rotate 


I. 

2. 
3- 
4- 
5. 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 
10. 
II. 
12. 

13- 
14. 

15. 
16. 

17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 


mterment  i. 

prepositional  2. 
Constantinople  3. 

prosecute  4. 

jostUng  5. 

Dneiper  6. 

druggist  7. 

reunite  8. 

extortion  9. 

abbreviation  10. 

arson  11. 

specie  12. 

pinnacle  13. 

notary  14. 

treacherous  15. 

purloin  16. 

lymphatics  17. 

Brahmanism  18. 

trombone  19. 

arsenal  20. 


vulgarity 

duodenum 

worrying 

prosy 

Burgoyne 

lyceum 

stampede 

ween 

elastic 

Tripoli 

stalwart 

acknowledge 

analysis 

starvation 

synovia 

approval 

console 

digestible 

spherical 

excavate 


4 

1.  vessels 

2.  solvency 

3.  fraudulently 

4.  pickerel 

5.  plaintiff 

6.  traverse 

7.  Euphrates 

8.  brethren 

9.  wizard 

10.  placid 

11.  artillery 

12.  Arabia 

13.  aptness 

14.  arbutus 

15.  braid 

16.  moisture 

17.  conceited 

18.  ewes 

19.  estuary 

20.  menial 


1.  windlass 

2.  pompous 

3.  bolster 

4.  epiglottis 

5.  cranberry 

6.  pique 

7.  cereal 

8.  granary 

9.  detestable 

10.  ventilator 

1 1 .  estuary 

12.  torpedo 

13.  Chippewa 

14.  luxuriant 

15.  Antwerp 

16.  pleasurable 

17.  adverbial 

18.  syringe 

19.  slough 

20.  weasel 


48 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


GRADE  VII 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

I.  adroitly 

I.  malefactor 

I.  publicity 

I.  nostrils 

I.  chemistry 

2.  calabash 

2.  magistrate 

2.  protestant 

2.  Winchester 

2.  jocularity 

3.  gentility 

3.  politician 

3.  ancestral 

3.  horticulture 

3.  cavity 

4.  felony 

4.  lithograph 

4.  counterfeit 

4.  cremation 

4.  coagulation 

5.  abscond 

5.  infamous 

5.  reversible 

5.  atrocious 

5.  paradise 

6.  linguist 

6.  auricle 

6.  wristband 

6.  window 

6.  oscillate 

7.  mimicry 

7.  Bowdoin 

7.  corpuscles 

7.  suture 

7.  Guardafui 

8.  embarrass 

8.  annually 

8.  matriculate 

8.  meagerly 

8.  buoyant 

9.  Tanganyika 

9.  reprimand 

9.  baize 

9.  Australia 

9.  vigilant 

10.  neuralgia 

ID.  lynx 

10.  upholster 

ID.  brokerage 

10.  extol 

II.  whimsical 

II.  cranium 

II.  Hawthorne 

II.  octagonal 

II.  depreciate 

12.  Tippecanoe 

12.  provident 

12.  authentic 

12.  visitant 

12.  wary 

13.  covetous 

13.  submaxillary 

13.  aviary 

13.  doctrine 

13.  Chickamauga 

14.  theatrical 

14.  submarine 

14.  disinherit 

14.  payee 

14.  variable 

15.  ulcerate 

15.  winsome 

15.  Thibet 

15.  penury 

15.  distinguished 

16.  zither 

16.  wiry 

16.  orphanage 

16.  flexors 

16.  lieutenant 

17.  vixen 

17.  propellor 

17.  mustiness 

17.  grumpiness 

17.  hosiery 

18.  coroner 

18.  cosmetic 

18.  midshipman 

18.  compiling 

18.  ottoman 

19.  etiquette 

19.  involuntary 

19.  premeditate 

19.  loitering 

19.  bullion 

20.  ordinance 

20.  Edison 

20.  avalanche 

20.  oiliness 

20.  massacre 

GRADE  VIII 

I 

2 

3 

4 

5 

I.  Divine 

I.  justice 

I.  criminate 

I.  versatile 

I.  sophomore 

2.  waning 

2.  noiseless 

2.  grater 

2.  subsidy 

2.  cochineal 

3.  perjury 

3.  aquarium 

3.  crinoline 

3.  compliment 

3.  coherency 

4.  reservoir 

4.  catapult 

4.  cotillion 

4.  synecdoche 

4.  obliteration 

5.  benevolence 

5.  legitimate 

5.  corroborate 

5.  pious 

5.  ingredient 

6.  perquisite 

6.  expiate 

6.  Transvaal 

6.  sustenance 

6.  minority 

7.  loquacious 

7.  verbiage 

7.  cuspidor 

7.  contusion 

7.  posterity 

8.  Madeira 

8.  Farragut 

8.  duteous 

8.  Garfield 

8.  chandelier 

9.  region 

9.  refutation 

9.  bigoted 

9.  usurious 

9.  Goldsmith 

10.  serpent 

10.  equestrian 

10.  tacitly 

10.  austerity 

10.  vitreous 

II.  Altoona 

II.  pyrotechnic 

II.  inflammable 

II.  avaricious 

II.  bravado 

12.  virulent 

12.  antithesis 

12.  Carlyle 

12.  convivial 

12.  Brooklyn 

13.  itinerary 

13.  Ecuador 

13.  stultify 

13.  innovation 

13.  chloroform 

14.  evangelist 

14.  disseminate 

14.  sponge 

14.  metonymy 

14.  salubrious 

15.  frivolity 

15.  incarcerate 

15.  prevaricate 

15.  ostentation 

15.  clemency 

16.  mutually 

16.  sumptuary 

16.  husbandry 

16.  Polynesia 

16.  neutrality 

17.  transiently 

17.  apothecary 

17.  secretary 

17.  frigidity 

17.  celerity 

18.  tympanum 

18.  trapezoid 

18.  polysyllable 

18.  collision 

18.  resuscitate 

19.  auditorium 

19.  convoy 

19.  stigmatize 

19.  volatile 

19.  brunette 

20.  convalesce 

20.  substantiate 

20.  actually 

20.  cheroot 

20.  oviform 

475 

248 

225 

47 

664 

298 

366 

55 

349 

87 

262 

75 

502 

171 

331 

66 

395 

159 

236 

59 

Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  49 

TABLE  X. 

Showing  the  Number  and  Percentage  Learned  Immediately  After 

Study 

SERIES  A — ^Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of     Number  of    Number  of 

Number  of  Words  Missed  Words  Missed      Words         Percentage 

Pupils         Before  Study    After  Study       Lea  rned  Learned 

Grade  III 52  733  434  299  41 

Grade  IV 43 

Grade  V 43 

Grade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 37 

Grade  VIII 31 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 52  758  389  369  49 

Grade  IV 43  651  290  361  55 

Grade  V 43  620  207  413  66 

Grade  VI 31  364  loi  263  72 

Grade  VII 37  525  164  361  69 

Grade  VIII 31  297  54  243  82 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  wa^  the  time  required  to  complete  the  study  of  list 
twice. 

Grade  III 52  644  347  297  46 

Grade  IV 43  683  351  332  49 

Grade  V 43  527  157  370  70 

Grade  VI 31  387  92  295  76 

Grade  VII 37  435  126  309  71 

Grade  VIII 31  259  70  189  73 

The  weather  was  fair  or  clear  for  tests  i,  2  and  3. 

The  time  was  approximately  the  same  in  all  tests,  varying 
somewhat  according  to  grade.  Grades  3  and  4  required  about 
I  minute  longer  than  the  other  grades.  The  average  time  for 
Grades  5  to  8  was  5  minutes. 


733 

535 

198 

27 

475 

252 

223 

46 

664 

371 

293 

44 

349 

159 

I90 

54 

502 

276 

226 

45 

395 

196 

199 

50 

50  Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 

TABLE  XI 

Showing  the  Number  and  Percentage  Learned  at  End  of  Week 
SERIES  A — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions. 

Number  of  Percentage 

Number  of      Number  of         Words  Learned  at 

Number  of  Words  Missed  Words  Missed  Learned  at  End  of 
Pupils       Before  Study  End  of  Week  End  of  Week      Week 

Grade  III 52 

Grade  IV 43 

Grade  V 43 

Grade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 37 

Grade  VIII 31 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 52                758              528              230  30 

Grade  IV 43                651               393              258  40 

Grade  V 43                620              375              245  39 

Grade  VI 31                 364               166               198  54 

Grade  VII 37                525              280              245  47 

Grade  VIII 31                297              115              182  61 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  study  of  the 
list  twice. 

Grade  III 52                644              462              182  28 

Grade  IV 43                683              417              266  39 

Grade  V 43                527              3o8              219  40 

Grade  VI 31                 387              217               170  44 

Grade  VII 37                435              252              183  42 

Grade  VIII 31                259              113              146  56 

Weather  clear  or  fair  when  review  was  given  at  end  of  week. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 
TABLE  XII 


51 


Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  Learned  After  Study 
SERIES  A — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Average  Average  Average 

Number  of       Number  of     Number  of     Number  of   Percentage 
Pupils       Words  Missed  Words  Missed       Words  Learned 

Before  Study    After  Study       Learned 

Grade  III 52 

Grade  IV 43 

Grade  V 43 

Grade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 37 

Grade  VIII 31 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 


14. 1 

8.3 

5-8 

41 

II. 5 

5-8 

5.3 

47 

15.4 

6.9 

8.5 

55 

II-5 

3- 

8.5 

75 

13.6 

4.6 

8.9 

66 

12.8 

5-6 

7.6 

59 

Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV. . . 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


52 

14.6 

7-5 

7.1 

49 

43 

15  I 

6.7 

8.4 

55 

43 

14.4 

5- 

9.6 

66 

31 

II. 9 

3  3 

8.5 

72 

37 

14.2 

4-4 

9  7 

69 

31 

9.6 

17 

7-9 

82 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  study  of  the 
list  twice. 

Grade  III 52  12.4  6.7  5.5  46 

Grade  IV 43  15.9  8.2  7.7  49 

Grade  V 43  12.3  3.7  8.6  70 

Grade  VI 31  12.7  3.1  9.5  76 

Grade  VII 37  11. 8  3.4  8.3  71 

Grade  VIII 31  8.4  2.3  6.1  73 

Weather  conditions  same  as  noted  after  Table  X. 


52 


Experimental  Studies  in  Spelling 
TABLE  XIII 


Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  Learned  at  End  of 

Week 

SERIES  A — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Average 
Number  of     Number  of 
Pupils      Words  Missed 
Before  Study 


Average 
Number 
of    Words 
Missed   at 
End  of  Week 


Grade  III 52 

Grade  IV 43 

Grade  V 43 

Grade  VI 31 

Grade  VII 37 

Grade  VIII 31 


14. 1 
11.5 
15.4 
II. 5 
13.6 
12.8 


Average 

Number        Percentage 
of    Words      Learned  at 
Learned  at    End  of  Week 
End  of  Week 


3-9 
5.1 
6.8 
6.1 
6.1 
6.4 


27 
46 
44 
54 
45 
50 


Test  2 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII.... 


52 
43 
43 
31 
37 
31 


14.6 

15.1 
14.4 

II. 9 

14.2 

9.6 


3 

30 

40 

7 

39 

4 

54 

6 

47 

9 

61 

Test  3 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval, 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  study  of  the 
list  twice. 


Grade  III. . 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . , 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


52 

12.4 

91 

3-5 

28 

43 

15.9 

9.6 

6.2 

39 

43 

12.3 

7-3 

5- 

40 

31 

12.7 

6.9 

5-5 

44 

37 

II. 8 

6.8 

4.9 

42 

31 

8.4 

3-7 

4-7 

56 

Weather  conditions  same  as  noted  previously. 


Experimental   Sttidies   in   Spelling  53 

TABLE  XIV 

Comparison  of  Per  Cent  Learned  and  Retained 
SERIES  A — Test  i — ^Three  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Percentage      ^^^^^^^ 

Number  of      of    Words     t,  ^  .      ,     ^ 
_     „  T  J        Retained  at 

Pupils  Learned      ^    ,     ,  ,,,    . 

End  of  Week 

Grade  III 52  41  27 

Grade  IV 43  47  46 

Grade  V 43  55  44 

Grade  VI 31  75  54 

Grade  VII 37  66  45 

Grade  VIII 31  59  50 

Average 57.2  43.8 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — ^Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 52  49  30 

Grade  IV 43  55  40 

Grade  V 43  66  39 

Grade  VI 31  72  54 

Grade  VII 37  69  47 

Grade  VIII 31  82  61 

Average 65.5  45.2 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  study  of  the 
list  twice. 

Grade  III 52  46  28 

Grade  IV 43  49  39 

Grade  V 43  70  40 

Grade  VI 31  76  44 

Grade  VII 37  71  42 

Grade  VIII 31  73  56 

Average 64.2  41.5 


54  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

TABLE  XV 

Showing  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned  Immediately 

After  Study 

SERIES  B — Test  i — Four  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

Number  of     ^"'"^^''  °^     Number  of     Number  of 

p     ..        Words  Missed  Words  Missed      Words       Percentage 
Before  Study   After  Study       Learned        Learned 

Grade  III 25  358  199  159  44.4 

Grade  IV 27  368  182  186  51.  i 

Grade  V 33  376  185  191  50.9 

Grade  VI 29  271  63  218  76.1 

Grade  VII 26  287  61  226  78.2 

Grade  VIII 26  236  67  169  71.4 

Test  2 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Three  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 25  346  207  139  40. 

Grade  IV 27  274  62  212  77.2 

Grade  V 33  372  119  I53  66.2 

Grade  VI 29  264  66  198  74.7 

Grade  VII 26  289  38  251  86.5 

Grade  VIII 26  200  60  140  70.4 

Test  3 — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  then  two  continuous  a 
second  time  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required 
to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  III 25                388               124  264            67.7 

Grade  IV 27                308              no  198            64. 

Grade  V 33                306                80  226            73.8 

Grade  VI 29                229                51  178            75. 

Grade  VII 26                265                55  210            79.4 

Grade  VIII 26                243                50  193            79.6 

Test  IV — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  twice  and  then  one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which 
was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  once. 

Grade  III 25  319  173  146  46.1 

Grade  IV 27  331  154  177  53-3 

Grade  V 33  3i5  97  218  68.5 

Grade  VI 29  143  14  129  89.8 

Grade  VII 26  212  39  173  81.7 

Grade  VIII 26  251  94  157  62.9 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  55 

Test  5 — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  to  complete  the  list  with  the 
three  continuous  repetitions. 

Grade  III 25  360  200  160  44.4 

Grade  IV 27  367  121  146  66.9 

Grade  V 33  266  80  186  70.7 

Grade  VI 29  204  34  170  82.9 

Grade  VII 26  236  44  192  81.3 

Grade  VIII 26  198  56  142  71.  i 

The  weather  was  fair  or  clear  for  all  tests. 
Time  approximately  the  same  as  series  A. 


TABLE  XVI 

Showing  the  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned  at  End  of 

Week 

SERIES  B — Test  i — Four  oral  repetitions — continuous. 

...         -      Number  of     Number  of     _ 
Number  of  J^""^'  1,  Words  Missed       Words         Percentage 
Pupils       Wo^ds  Missed    ^,  ^nd  of      Learned  at    JT^^^'^I 
Before  Study       ^^^        ^^^  ^^  ^^  End  of  Week 

Grade  III 25 

Grade  IV 27 

Grade  V 33 

Grade  VI 29 

Grade  VII 26 

Grade  VIII 26 

Test  2 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Three  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 25  346  267  79  22.5 

Grade  IV 27  274  149  125  45.5 

Grade  V 33  372  176  200  53 .  i 

Grade  VI 29  264  loi  163  60.4 

Grade  VII 26  289  112  177  61.3 

Grade  VIII 26  200  86  114  57-  I 


358 

250 

108 

30.1 

368 

270 

98 

21.6 

376 

223 

153 

40.3 

271 

133 

138 

50.5 

287 

152 

135 

56.4 

236 

103 

133 

56.1 

56  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

Test  3 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Two  continuous,  then  two  continuous  a 
second  time  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to 
complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  III 25                388              298  90            23.2 

Grade  IV 27                308               176  132            43. 

Grade  V 33                306              173  133            42.2 

Grade  VI 29                229              121  108            41.7 

Grade  VII 26                265              118  147            55.9 

Grade  VIII 26                243                90  153            62.4 

Test  4 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Two  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  twice  and  then  one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which 
was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  once. 

Grade  III 25  319  216  103  32.8 

Grade  IV 27  331  248  83  24.6 

Grade  V 33  315  183  132  40.2 

Grade  VI 29  143  37  106  73.5 

Grade  VII 26  212  85  127  59.7 

Grade  VIII 26  251  125  126  50.5 

Test  5 — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  to  complete  the  list  with 
the  three  continuous  repetitions. 

Grade  III 25  360  269  160  25. 

Grade  IV 27  367  218  149  40.4 

Grade  V 33  266  151  115  432 

Grade  VI 29  204  85  119  586 

Grade  VII. ....  .         26  236  126  no  47.2 

Grade  VIII 26  198  97  loi  501 

Time  and  weather  conditions  same  as  Test  i. 

TABLE  XVII 

Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned 

After  Study 
SERIES  B — Test  i — Four  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Average 

Average 

Average 

Number  of 

Number 

Number 

Number 

Percentage 

PupUs 

Words  Missed  Words  Missed 

Words 

Learned 

Before  Study 

After  Study 

Learned 

25 

14.3 

8. 

6.3 

44-4 

27 

13.9 

6.7 

7.2 

511 

33 

II. 4 

5.6 

5.8 

50.9 

29 

9.3 

2.2 

7.1 

76.1 

Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 

Grade  VII 26  11.  2.4  8.6  87.2 

Grade  VIII 26  9.1  2.6  6.5  7i-4 


Experimental   Studies   in    Spelling 


57 


Test  2 — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 25  13.8  8.3  5.5  40. 

Grade  IV 27  10.  i  2.3  7.8  77.2 

Grade  V 33  11. 3  3.6  7.7  66.2 

Grade  VI 29  9.1  2.3  6.8  74.7 

Grade  VII 26  11. i  1.5  9.6  86.5 

Grade  VIII 26  7.7  2.3  5.4  70.4 


Test  3 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Two  continuous,  then  two  continuous  a 
second  time  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required 
to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 


25 

155 

5- 

10.5 

67.7 

27 

II. 4 

41 

7-3 

64. 

33 

9- 

2.4 

6.6 

73.8 

29 

7.2 

1.8 

5-4 

75. 

26 

10.2 

2.1 

8.1 

79.4 

26 

9  3 

19 

7-4 

79.6 

Test  4 — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  twice,  and  then  one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which 
was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  once. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 


25 

9.2 

2.9 

6.3 

68.5 

27 

4-9 

.5 

4-4 

89.8 

33 

8.2 

1-5 

6.7 

81.7 

29 

9-7 

3- 

6.1 

62.9 

26 

14.4 

8. 

6.4 

44-4 

26 

13.6 

4.5 

9.1 

66.9 

Test  V — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  to  complete  the  list  with 
three  continuous  repetitions. 


Grade  III... 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 


25 

14.4 

8. 

6.4 

44.4 

27 

13.6 

4.5 

91 

66.9 

33 

8.1 

2.4 

5-7 

70.7 

29 

7. 

1.2 

5.8 

82.9 

26 

9.1 

1.7 

7.4 

81.3 

26 

7.6 

2.2 

5-4 

71. 1 

Time  and  weather  conditions  same  as  Test  i. 


58  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

TABLE  XVIII 


Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned 

at  End  of  Week 

SERIES  B — Test  i — ^Four  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Grade  III. . 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


Number  of 
Pupils 


25 
27 

33 
29 


26 
26 


Average 

Number  of 

Words  Missed 

Before  Study 

143 
13.9 
II. 4 

9-3 
II. 

91 


Average         Average 
Number  of     Number  of     Percentage 
Words  Missed       Words         Learned  at 
at  End  of      Learned  at   End  of  Week 
Week  End  of  Week 


10. 
10. 

6.8 
4.6 
5.8 


30- 1 
21.6 

40.3 
50.5 
56.4 
56.1 


Test  II — ^Four  oral  repetitions — Three  repetitions,  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  III 25  13.8 

Grade  IV 27  10. i 

Grade  V 33  1 1 . 3 

Grade  VI 29  9.1 

Grade  VII 26  11.  i 

Grade  VIII 26  7.7 

Test  3 — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous,  then  two  continuous  a 
second  time  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required 
to  complete  the  list  twice. 


0.7 

3-1 

22.5 

5.5 

4.6 

45.5 

5-3 

6. 

53- 1 

3-5 

5.6 

60.4 

4-3 

6.8 

61.3 

3-3 

4-4 

57.1 

Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI... 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


25 

155 

II. 9 

3.6 

23.2 

27 

II. 4 

6.5 

4-9 

43. 

33 

9- 

5.2 

3.8 

42.2 

29 

7.2 

4.2 

3- 

417 

26 

10.2 

4-5 

5.7 

55-9 

26 

9-3 

3.5 

5.8 

62.4 

Test  4 — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  twice  and  then  one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which 
was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  once. 


Grade  III.. 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII. . 
Grade  VIII. 


25 

12.8 

8.6 

4.2 

32.8 

27 

12.2 

9.2 

3- 

24.6 

33 

9.2 

5-5 

3.7 

40.2 

29 

4-9 

1-3 

3.6 

73.5 

26 

8.2 

3-3 

4-9 

59-7 

26 

9-7 

4.8 

4-9 

50.5 

Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 


59 


Test  5 — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  with  the  three  continuous  repetitions. 


Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII.... 


25 
27 

33 
29 
26 
26 


14.4 
13.6 

8.1 

7- 

91 

7-6 


10.8 
8.1 
4.6 
2.9 
4.8 
3-7 


25. 

40.4 

43.2 

58.6 

47.2 

50.1 


Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  previously  noted. 


TABLE  XIX 


Comparison  of  Percent  Learned  and  Retained 


SERIES  B — Test  i — Four  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 


Number  ol 
Pupils 

Grade  III 25 

Grade  IV 27 

Grade  V 33 

Grade  VI 29 

Grade  VII 26 

Grade  VIII 26 

Average 


Percentage 

of   Words 

Learned 

44-4 
511 
50.9 
76.1 
78.2 

71.4 
62. 


Percentage 

of   Words 

Retained  at 

End  of  Week 

30.1 
21.6 

40.3 
50.5 
56.4 
56.1 
42.5 


Test  2 — Four  oral  repetitions — Three  repetitions,  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 


Grade  III 25 

Grade  IV 27 

Grade  V 33 

Grade  VI 29 

Grade  VII 26 

Grade  VIII 26 

Average 


40. 

22.5 

77.2 

45.5 

66.2 

53.1 

74-7 

60.4 

86.5 

61.3 

70.4 

57.1 

69.2 

50. 

6o  Experimental   Sttcdies  in   Spelling 

Test  3 — ^Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous,  then  two  continuous  a 
second  time  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required 
to  complete  the  list  twice. 


Grade  III.  . 
Grade  IV... 
Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 
Average 


25 

67.7 

23.2 

27 

64. 

43. 

33 

73.8 

42.2 

29 

75. 

417 

26 

79-4 

55-9 

26 

79.6 

62.4 

73-3 

44.7 

Test  4 — Four  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list 
twice  and  then  one  repetition  after  an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the 
time  required  to  complete  the  list  once. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 

Grade  V 

Grade  VI 

Grade  VII 

Grade  VIII 

Average 

Test  4 — Four  oral  repetitions — ^Three  continuous,  then  one  repetition  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
list  with  the  three  continuous  repetitions. 

Grade  III 

Grade  IV 


25 

46.1 

32.8 

27 

53.3 

24.6 

33 

68.5 

40.2 

29 

89.8 

73-5 

26 

81.7 

59.7 

26 

62.9 

50.5 

67.5 

46.9 

Grade  V. . . . 
Grade  VI. . . 
Grade  VII.. 
Grade  VIII. 
Average 


Analysis  of  Series  A- 


25 

44.4 

25. 

27 

66.9 

40.4 

33 

70.7 

43.2 

29 

82.9 

58.6 

26 

81.3 

47.2 

26 

71. 1 

50.1 

•• 

69.6 

44.1 

Test  I, 

2  and  3 

Examination  of  results  shows  that  Grades  3,  4,  and  8  learned 
the  largest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  2,  and  that  Grades  5, 
6,  and  7  learned  the  largest  percentage  in  Test  3,  both  of  which 
had  repetition  after  an  interval.  The  average  percentage  of 
words  learned  in  the  6th  Grade  in  Test  i  is  57.2;  in  Test  2, 
65.5;  in  Test  3,  64.2;  making  8.3  percent  in  favor  of  Test  2, 
the  characteristic  of  which  was  repetition  after  an  interval.     la 


Experimental   Stiidies  in   History  6l 

comparison  of  Test  i  and  3  there  is  a  difference  of  7  percent  in 
favor  of  Test  3,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  repetition  after 
an  interval,  the  interval  being  different  from  that  of  Test  2. 

In  general,  as  shown  by  the  average  for  the  six  grades  the  re- 
sults were  the  same  for  the  end  of  the  week,  there  being  a  differ- 
ence of  1.4  percent  in  favor  of  Test  2.  In  particular  grades, 
however,  the  advantage  is  in  favor  of  Test  i  in  Grades  4  and  5. 

Anaylsis  of  Series  B — Tests  J,  2,  j,  4,  and  5 

Examination  of  the  individual  record  kept  for  each  pupil 
shows  that  one  pupil  in  Grade  4,  missed  not  any  words  after  the 
study  in  Test  2 ;  in  Grade  4,  three  pupils  missed  not  any  in  Test 
2,  five  pupils  not  any  in  Test  3,  one  not  any  in  Test  4,  and  three 
not  any  in  Test  5 ;  in  Grade  6  one  pupil  missed  not  any  in  Test 
2,  six  not  any  in  Test  3,  seven  not  any  in  Test  4,  seven  not  any 
in  Test  5;  in  Grade  7,  five  pupils  missed  not  any  in  Test  2,  two 
Test  3,  one  in  Test  4,  three  in  Test  5;  in  Grade  8,  two  missed 
not  any  in  Test  3,  three  missed  not  any  in  Test  5.  This  signifies 
that  each  of  these  different  pupils  might  have  learned  more 
words  in  these  Tests  2,  3,  4,  and  5,  than  they  did.  This  would 
have  increased  the  percentage  of  words  learned  in  Tests  2,  3 

4,  and  5,  in  all  of  which  the  characteristic  was  repetition  after 
an  interval,  the  interval  varying  as  noted  in  the  plan  of  the 
tests.  It  is  to  be  especially  noted  that  no  individual  cases 
learned  all  of  the  words  in  Test  i,  the  characteristic  of  which 
was  continuous  repetition. 

Further  examination  of  results  shows  that  Grades  4  and  7 
learned  the  largest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  2.     Grades  3, 

5,  and  8  learned  the  largest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  3,  and 
Grade  6  learned  the  largest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  4. 
The  characteristic  of  Tests  2,  3,  and  4  was  repetition  after  an 
interval. 

The  average  percentage  of  words  learned  in  the  six  grades  in 
Test  I  was  62,  in  Test  2,  69.2,  making  a  difference  of  7.2  percent 
in  favor  of  Test  2,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  repetition 
after  an  interval.  In  comparison  of  Test  i  with  Test  3  the 
average  of  which  was  73.3,  there  is  a  difference  of  1 1.3  percent 


62  Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 

in  favor  of  Test  3,  the  characteristic  of  which  was  repetition  after 
an  interval.  In  comparison  of  Test  i  with  Test  4,  the  average 
of  which  is  67.5,  there  is  a  difference  of  5.5  percent  in  favor  of 
Test  4,  the  characteristic  of  which  is  repetition  after  an  interval. 
In  comparison  of  Test  i  with  Test  5,  the  average  of  which  is  69.6, 
there  is  a  difference  of  7.6  percent  in  favor  of  Test  5,  the  char- 
acteristic of  which  is  repetition  after  an  interval. 

A  comparison  of  the  results  gained  in  comparing  Test  2,  3, 
4,  and  5  with  Test  i  shows  that  in  this  experiment  Test  3  was 
the  best,  reaching  11.3  percent  greater  efficiency  than  Test  i. 

In  comparison  of  the  results  at  the  end  of  the  week  Grades 
4,  5,  and  7  retain  the  highest  percentage  of  words  in  Test  2; 
Grade  8  retained  the  highest  percentage  in  Test  3 ;  Grades  3  and 
6  retained  the  highest  percentage  in  Test  4.  The  general  aver- 
age is  the  highest  in  Test  2.  In  comparison  with  Test  i  there 
is  an  advantage  of  7.5  percent  in  favor  of  Test  2. 

This  experiment  shows  that,  in  spelling,  both,  in  immediate 
results  and  in  results  at  the  end  of  the  week,  repetition  after  an 
interval  is  more  effective  in  memorizing  than  continuous 
repetition. 


PART  III 

Experiment  III 

The  purpose  of  experiment  three  was  the  same  as  in  experi- 
ment one  and  two. 

Plan — Experience  in  experiments  one  and  two  suggested  the 
following  improvements  for  experiment  three. 

1.  To  have  the  study  of  the  words  as  near  as  possible  under 
the  same  conditions  as  the  regular  spelling  lesson.*  For  this 
reason  the  words  selected  for  the  test  were  printed  on  pieces  of 
cardboard  in  the  same  kind  of  type  as  used  in  the  spelling  book, 
observing  syllabification  and  accent  marks  as  in  regular  spelling 
book. 

2.  A  device  was  planned  to  cover  all  the  words  except  the 
particular  word  being  studied.  This  device  was  a  piece  of  card- 
board with  a  rectangular  opening  cut  in  it  one  and  one-quarter 
inches  long  and  one-quarter  inch  wide.  It  was  easy  for  the 
pupil  to  slide  this  card-board  along,  exposing  the  next  word  each 
time  for  study.  Practice  was  given  in  the  use  of  this  device  to 
all  pupils  previous  to  using  it  the  first  time.  This  was  done  so 
that  the  strangeness  of  the  device  would  not  interfere  in  any 
way  with  results. 

3.  Test  I  was  given  third  and  Test  3  was  given  first  in  the 
series.  This  change  in  order  was  made  because  it  was  observed 
that  a  certain  amount  of  efficiency  was  acquired  toward  the 
end  of  the  series.  The  order  probably  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  results,  because  most  of  the  pupils  in  experiment  III  had 
had  experience  with  experiment  one  and  two. 


*  Experience  in  previous  experiments  made  it  evident  that  a  change  from 
studying  the  printed  to  the  written  word  on  the  board  was  a  disturbing  factor. 
This  was  discovered  by  having  a  number  of  tests  in  studying  words — those 
studied  from  board  compared  with  those  studied  from  book.  Those  studied 
from  books  showed  the  highest  percentage  learned  each  time.  This  was 
probably  due  to  change  of  form  of  word  and  the  word  was  too  far  away  giving 
too  much  chance  for  distraction  of  attention.  It  was  decidedly  easier  to  hold 
attention  to  printed  word. 

63 


64  Experimental  Studies  in  Spelling 

4.  The  children  were  especially  asked  not  to  think  about  the 
words  after  the  experimenter  left  the  room.*  In  a  large  degree 
this  was  done  as  the  children  immediately  returned  to  their 
regular  work. 

5.  All  the  experiments  were  conducted,  entirely,  by  myself, 
thus  eliminating  the  disturbing  factor  of  having  a  number  of 
different  experimenters  in  the  same  series  of  tests.  Preliminary 
experiments  were  made  in  each  case  so  that  the  pupils  were 
familiar  with  the  method  and  manner  of  the  experimenter  before 
the  real  experiment  was  given,  in  addition  to  this  I  was  known 
personally  by  all  the  pupils. 

The  following  were  the  details  of  the  plan  used  in  this  experi- 
ment: 

1.  The  test  was  made  in  Grades  5,  6,  7,  and  8.  Grades  four 
and  five  were  not  tested  because  by  trial  it  was  found  that  they 
could  not  use  device  well. 

2.  Twenty  words  in  each  test  were  selected,  so  that  there  was 
a  large  number  of  words  to  be  learned  by  the  class.  Both  long 
and  short  words  were  selected.  Any  special  difficulty  in  spell- 
ing was  avoided.  In  one  list,  Grade  V,  Test  III,  the  word  fowl 
was  defined  each  time  when  pronounced.  This  was  necessary, 
in  order  that  the  students  would  spell  the  right  word.  In  Grade 
VIII,  Test  III,  the  word  polysyllable,  by  accident  had  the  first 
"y"  omitted  in  the  printing  of  the  slips.  The  error  was  not 
observed  until  the  test  was  being  made.  The  pupils  were 
marked  on  a  basis  of  19  words  in  Test  A-3. 

3.  All  tests  were  made  at  the  same  time  of  day,  between 
8:45  and  10:00  A.  M.  This  was  done  so  as  to  have  the  same 
mental  condition  of  the  children  as  far  as  possible  in  each  test. 
Weather  conditions  were  noted  as  clear,  fair  or  cloudy.  The 
temperature,  68  degrees,  was  uniform  in  the  rooms. 

4.  Any  pupil  being  especially  abnormal  in  spelling  was  not 
counted  in  the  test.     The  pupils  took  the  words  with  the  class, 


*In  previous  experiments  no  request  of  this  kind  was  made,  but  individual 
cases  came  to  my  attention  in  which  pupils  did  discuss  the  words.  In  this 
experiment  no  such  cases  came  to  my  attention. 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  65 

but  papers  were  rejected  in  results.  The  same  was  done  with 
respect  to  pupils  who  were  not  in  good  physical  condition  at 
the  time  of  test. 

5.  The  length  of  time  spent  in  the  study  of  the  words  was 
the  same  in  each  test.  By  preliminary  tests  I  had  learned  to 
pass  from  one  word  to  the  other  promptly  and  to  conduct  the 
detail  of  the  experiment  in  such  a  way  that  there  was  practically 
no  difference  in  time  in  Tests  I,  II,  and  III.  The  variation  was 
always  less  than  one-fourth  Q/i)  of  a  minute.  This  practically 
eliminated  the  time  conditions  in  the  tests. 

6.  Only  the  papers  of  the  pupils  present  for  all  the  tests  were 
considered  in  the  results. 

7.  The  same  list  of  words  was  pronounced  at  the  end  of  week, 
at  the  same  time  of  day.     This  was  called  the  Review. 

8.  All  papers  were  corrected  under  my  immediate  direction. 
The  results  were  recorded  as  follows: 

A  record  was  made  of  weather  conditions,  or  social  function  that 
might  have  interfered  with  the  accuracy  of  results.  A  record 
was  made  of  the  number  of  words  missed  in  the  preliminary  test, 
the  number  missed  after  study,  and  the  number  missed  at  the 
end  of  the  week.  The  number  missed  in  the  preliminary  test  less 
the  number  missed  after  study  was  the  number  of  words  learned. 
The  number  of  words  learned  divided  by  the  number  possible 
to  be  learned,  i.  e.,  the  number  missed  in  preliminary  test,  gives 
the  percentage  learned. 

Observation — The  device  for  covering  the  words  evidently 
was  a  disturbing  factor  to  those  pupils  who  lacked  the  ability 
to  concentrate.  These  pupils  showed  very  little  learning  power 
when  using  the  device.  After  some  additional  tests  I  was  con- 
vinced, that  as  far  as  these  pupils  were  concerned  the 
device  was  a  disturbing  factor,  but  of  course  it  was  a  disturbing 
factor  in  each  of  the  tests,  and  therefore  would  not  affect  the 
validity  of  the  results  in  any  way. 

Plan  of  the  Tests 

The  tests  were  made  at  the  time  of  day  indicated  above, 
between  8:45  and  10:00  A.  M. 


66  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

Series  C—Test  I 

1.  I  dictated  the  words  to  the  class  and  had  the  papers  col- 
lected immediately. 

2.  (a)  I  had  the  slips  containing  the  list  of  words  passed  to 

the  pupils  with  the  words  turned  down.     At  a  given 

signal  the  pupils  turned  the  slips. 
{b)  I  pronounced  the  first  word, 
(c)  The  pupils  pronounced  and  spelled  the  first  word  in 

concert. 
{d)  The  pupils  pronounced  and  spelled  the  word  in  concert 

two  times,  making  three  continuous  repetitions  of  each 

word. 

3.  I  had  the  pupils  study  each  succeeding  word  in  the  list  in 
the  same  way  the  first  was  studied,  completing  the  list. 

4.  I  pronounced  the  words  to  the  class  immediately  after  the 
completion  of  the  list  and  collected  the  papers,  suggesting  to  the 
class  that  they  should  forget  all  about  these  words. 

Test  II 

1.  I  dictated  the  words  to  class  and  had  papers  collected 
immediately. 

2.  (a)  I  had  the  slips  containing  the  words  passed  to  the  pupils 

with  the  words  turned  down.  At  a  given  signal  the 
pupils  turned  the  slips. 

{h)  I  pronounced  the  first  word. 

(c)  The  pupils  pronounced  and  spelled  the  first  word  in 
concert. 

{d)  The  pupils  completed  the  list  pronouncing  and  spelling 
each  word  in  concert  once,  then  the  entire  list  was  re- 
peated in  the  same  way  two  times,  making  three  repeti- 
tions, each  repetition  after  an  interval  of  time  equal  to 
the  time  required  to  study  19  words. 

3.  I  pronounced  the  words  to  class  immediately  after  the 
completion  of  list  and  collected  the  papers,  suggesting  to  the 
class  that  they  should  forget  all  about  these  words. 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


67 


Test  III 

1.  I  dictated  the  words  to  class  and  had  papers  collected 
immediately. 

2.  (a)  I  had  the  slips  containing  the  words  passed  to  the 

pupils  with  the  words  turned  down.  At  a  given  signal 
the  pupils  turned  the  slips. 

{b)  I  pronounced  the  first  word. 

(c)  The  pupils  pronounced  and  spelled  the  first  word  in 
concert. 

{d)  I  had  the  pupils  pronounce  and  spell  the  first  word  the 
second  time,  then  completed  the  list  in  the  same  way, 
making  two  continuous  repetitions  for  each  word. 

{e)  After  the  list  was  completed  I  had  the  pupils  pro- 
nounce and  spell  in  concert  each  word  in  the  list,  thus 
making  a  total  of  three  repetitions — two  continuous  and 
one  after  an  interval. 

3.  I  pronounced  the  words  to  the  class  immediately  after  the 
completion  of  list  and  collected  the  papers,  suggesting  to  the 
class  that  they  should  forget  all  about  these  words. 

The  following  list  of  words  was  used  in  Series  C. 
GRADE  V 


Test  i 

1.  daily 

2.  multiple 

3.  telescope 

4.  citizen 

5.  sociable 

6.  grandeur 

7.  perspiration 

8.  antennae 

9.  naturalist 
10.  planets 


Test  2 

1.  gentian 

2.  economy 

3.  gorgeous 

4.  chocolate 

5.  poisonous 

6.  experiment 

7.  ravine 

8.  damaged 

9.  punctual 
10.  especially 


Test  3 

1.  precipice 

2.  analysis 

3.  cistern 

4.  delicious 

5.  parenthesis 

6.  fowl 

7.  policy 

8.  major 

9.  cottage 
ID.  luscious 


68 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 


11.  decimal 

12.  residence 

13.  chamois 

14.  favorite 

15.  government 

16.  crayon 

17.  telephone 

18.  conjunction 

19.  oxygen 

20.  luncheon 


11.  recruits 

12.  rapidity 

13.  declarative 

14.  cavern 

15.  magistrate 

16.  apparatus 

17.  fatigued 

18.  imagine 

19.  hazardous 

20.  neighbor 


11.  mucilage 

12.  volcanic 

13.  obstacles 

14.  microscope 

15.  encouraged 

16.  desirable 

17.  enlarged 

18.  haughty 

19.  ignorant 

20.  mortgage 


GRADE  VI 


Test  i 

1.  console 

2.  furious 

3.  constable 

4.  grocery 

5.  interment 

6.  excessive 

7.  excellence 

8.  humid 

9.  lunacy 

10.  disastrous 

11.  missionary 

12.  spigot 

13.  reunite 

14.  molasses 

15.  prepositional 

16.  motor 

17.  privacy 

18.  preference 

19.  preparatory 

20.  contemptible 


Test  2 

1.  astral 

2.  aroma 

3.  asphalt 

4.  privily 

5.  guidance 

6.  sumptuously 

7.  exhaust 

8.  trespass 

9.  revengeful 

10.  continual 

11.  woolen 

12.  briery 

13.  copying 

14.  spiral 
15*  arsenal 

16.  lymphatics 

17.  exclusive 

18.  suitor 

19.  volunteer 

20.  vulgarity 


Test  3 

1.  divisible 

2.  trellis 

3.  stalwart 

4.  ruinous 

5.  reverently 

6.  hydrant 

7.  lyceum 

8.  critical 

9.  wrongfully 

10.  morgue 

11.  hyena 

12.  duodenum 

13.  stature 

14.  stampede 

15.  rivalry 

16.  exhibitor 

17.  cornice 

18.  ridiculous 

19.  intimately 

20.  suggestion 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 
GRADE  VII 


69 


Test  i 

1.  paradise 

2.  chemistry 

3.  metropolis 

4.  auditor 

5.  hypocrite 

6.  nectarine 

7.  adjournment 

8.  accurate 

9.  groceries 

10.  penetrable 

11.  devastate 

12.  whimsical 

13.  discernible 

14.  mattress 

15.  pungency 

16.  republican 

17.  continuous 

18.  infinite 

19.  typhoon 

20.  neuralgia 


Test  2 

1.  sjjecify 

2.  cosmetic 

3.  burlesque 

4.  auxiliaries 

5.  transom 

6.  futurity 

7.  periodical 

8.  cravat 

9.  mystical 

10.  pulmonary 

11.  unerring 

12.  cremation 

13.  criticise 

14.  etiquette 

15.  coupon 

16.  doctrine 

17.  indicative 

18.  subtle 

19.  methodist 

20.  solicitor 


Test  3 

1.  penury 

2.  bronchial 

3.  athletic 

4.  auctioneer 

5.  minaret 

6.  ferocious 

7.  arsenal 

8.  treason 

9.  triennial 

10.  negotiable 

11.  fatigue 

12.  guidance 

13.  avalanche 

14.  brokerage 

15.  cogent 

16.  neighborly 

17.  consciousness 

18.  suture 

19.  avarice 

20.  tragical 


Test  i 

1.  clemency 

2.  codicil 

3.  amalgam 

4.  soprano 

5.  prestige 

6.  chorister 

7.  sovereign 

8.  piquancy 

9.  cellular 
10.  recreant 


GRADE  VIII 

Test  2 

1.  sophomore 

2.  petrifaction 

3.  architecture 

4.  annihilation 

5.  albatross 

6.  ineligible 

7.  munificence 

8.  equitable 

9.  p>ostilion 
10.  ambiguity 


Test  3 

1.  dynasty 

2.  supersede 

3.  frigidity 

4.  conscientious 

5.  coquette 

6.  prejudice 

7.  philosopher 

8.  inexplicable 

9.  mystify 
10.  severance 


70  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

11.  rigidity  1 1,  villain  ii.  husbandry 

12.  chevalier  12.  cochineal  12.  amphibious 

13.  tournament  13.  coherency  13.  volatile 

14.  reminiscence  14.  miscellaneous  14.  monetary 

15.  extraordinary  15.  cogitate  15.  concentric 

16.  monotonous  16.  renewable  16.  polysyllable 

17.  substantially  17.  perspicuity  17.  tricycle 

18.  democracy  18.  dynamite  18.  collision 

19.  honorary  19.  temporal  19.  intestinal 

20.  apologize  20.  artesian  20.  requisition 

TABLE  XX 

Showing  the  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned  Imme- 
diately After  Study 

SERIES  C — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 

TVT      u        r     Number  of  ..      ,         , 

i^T      1-        r     Number  of         ,,,     ,  Number  of     _ 

Number  of  „,     ,   ,,.       ,       Words  ...     ,           Percentage 

„     .,       Words  Missed       ...       ,  Words 

Pupils      _  ,        £,^  J         Missed  T            ,          Learned 

Before  Study  ..^     ^^    ,  Learned 
After  Study 

Grade  V 22  277  163  114  41.2 

Grade  VI 25  250  141  109  43.6 

Grade  VII 32  370  164  206  55.7 

Grade  VIII 24  339  204  135  39.8 

Test  2 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  V 22  339  168  171  50.5 

Grade  VI 25  293  102  191  65.2 

Grade  VII 32  419  147  272  64.9 

Grade  VIII 24  314  102  212  67.5 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  V 22  301  151  150  49-8 

Grade  VI 25  344  168  176  51.  i 

Grade  VII 32  402  149  253  62.9 

Grade  VIII 24  329  123  206  62.2 

The  weather  was  fair  or  clear  for  all  tests,  excepting  Grade 
V,  Test  II — a  very  cold,  stormy  day,  and  Grade  VIII,  Test 
III — a  large  number  of  pupils  had  been  on  a  sleighing  party 
the  night  before. 

Time  approximately  the  same  in  all  tests. 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  71 

TABLE  XXI 

Showing  the  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned  at  End  of 

Week 
SERIES  C — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 

Number  of  Number  of     Number  of     _ 
Number  of          Words  Words  Words         .         «4     «• 

Pupils  Missed  Missed   at     Learned  at    ^    ,    ....    . 

Before  Study  End  of  Week  End  of  Week  ^"^  of  Week 

Grade  V 22  277  234  43  18.4 

Grade  VI 25  250  176  74  29.6 

Grade  VII 32  370  199  171  46.2 

Grade  VIII 24  339  245  94  27.7 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions,  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  V 22                339              254                85  25.1 

Grade  VI 25                293              172              121  41.3 

Grade  VII 32                419               183              236  56.3 

Grade  VIII 24                314               168               146  46.5 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  V 22  301  231  70  23.2 

Grade  VI 25  344  216  128  37.2 

Grade  VII 32  402  188  214  53.2 

Grade  VIII 24  329  197  132  40.1 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  previously  noted. 

TABLE  XXII 

Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned 

After  Study 
SERIES  C — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 

Average  Average 

Number  of     Number  of     Number  of 
Pupils       WordsMissed  Words  Missed 
Before  Study  After  Study 

Grade  V 22  12.6  7.4 

Grade  VI 25  10.  5.6 

Grade  VII 32  11. 6  5.1 

Grade  VIII 24  14. i  8.5 


Average 
Number  of 

PercenUge 

Words 

Learned 

Learned 

5-2 

41.2 

4.4 

43.6 

6.5 

55.7 

5.6 

39.8 

72  Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 

Test  2 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  V 22  15.4  7.6  7.8  50.5 

Grade  VI 25  11. 7  4.1  7.6  65.2 

Grade  VII 32  13. i  4.6  8.5  64.9 

Grade  VIII 24  13.  4.3  8.7  67.5 

Test  3 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  V 22  13.7  6.9  6.8  49.8 

Grade  VI 25  13.8  6.7  7.1  51. i 

Grade  VII 32  12.6  4.7  7.9  62.9 

Grade  VIII 24  13.7  5.1  8.6  62.2 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  previously  noted. 

TABLE  XXIII 

Showing  the  Average  Number  and  Percentage  of  Words  Learned 
at  End  of  Week 

SERIES  C — ^Test  I — Three  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 

Average  Average 

T^T       1-        ,      Average        dumber  of     Number  of      Percentage 
Number  of    Number  of  ._.,,,.      ,       „r     ,  ,  j     ^ 

._-      .,         ,,,     ,    ,,.       .WordsMissed       Words  Learned  at 

Pupils       WordsMissed   ^^   ^^^  ^^     learned  at  End  of  Week 
Before  Study         ^^^^        ^^^  ^^  ^^^^ 

Grade  V 22  12.6  10.6  2.  18.4 

Grade  VI 25  10.                 7.  3-  29.6 

Grade  VII 32  11. 6              6.2  5.4  46.2 

Grade  VIII 24  14. i  10.2  3.9  27.7 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after 
an  interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  V 22  15.4  11. 5  3-9  25.1 

Grade  VI 25  11. 7              6.9  4.8  41.3 

Grade  VII 32  13. i               5.8  7.3  56.3 

Grade  VIII 24  13.                7-  6.  465 


Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling  73 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  V 22  13.7  10.5  3.2  23.2 

Grade  VI 25  13.8  8.6  7.1  37.2 

Grade  VII 32  12.6  5.9  6.7  53.2 

Grade  VIII 24  13.7  8.2  5.5  40.1 

Weather  and  time  conditions  same  as  previously  noted. 


TABLE  XXIV 

Comparison  of  Percentage  Learned  and  Retained 

SERIES  C — Test  i — Three  oral  repetitions — Continuous. 

p         ^         Percentage 

Number  of        ,  „"    .  of  Words 

„     .,  of  Words      r.  ,  .     J    ^ 

Pupils  .  .        Retained  at 

Learned      _    .     ,  ,,.    . 

End  of  Week 

Grade  V 22  41.2  18.4 

Grade  VI 25  43.6  29.6 

Grade  VII 32  55.7  46.2 

G  ade  VIII 24  39.8  27.7 

Average ..  45-7  40.6 

Test  2 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 

Grade  V 22  50.5  25.1 

Grade  VI 25  65.2  41.3 

Grade  VII 32  64.9  56.3 

Grade  VIII 24  67.5  46.5 

Average . .  62 .  42 . 3 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

Grade  V 22  49 . 8  23 . 2 

Grade  VI 25  51.  i  37.2 

Grade  VII 32  62.9  53.2 

Grade  VIII 24  62.2  40.1 

Average 56.5  38.4 


74  Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 

Analysis  Series  C — Test  i,  2,  3 

Examination  of  results  shows  that  Grades  5,  6,  7,  and  8^ 
all  grades  in  which  the  tests  were  made,  learned  the  highest 
percentage  of  words  in  Test  2,  the  characteristic  of  which  was 
three  repetitions  each  after  an  interval.  The  same  is  true  at 
the  end  of  the  week.  The  average  per  cent  learned  in  Test  i 
was  45.7  per  cent,  in  Test  2  62  per  cent,  making  a  difference 
of  17.7  per  cent,  in  favor  of  Test  2,  the  characteristic  of  which 
was  repetition  after  an  interval.  At  the  end  of  the  week  there 
was  a  difference  of  2.3  per  cent  in  favor  of  Test  2.  In  com- 
parison of  Test  I  and  Test  3  the  higher  percentage  was  learned 
in  Test  3,  9.6  per  cent  in  favor  of  Test  3.  At  the  end  of 
the  week  the  advantage  was  5.2  in  favor  of  Test  3.  Without 
exception  the  advantage  was  in  favor  of  repetition  after  an 
interval  in  Experiment  III. 

This  experiment  shows,  as  did  Experiment  II,  that  both  in 
immediate  results  and  in  results  at  end  of  the  week  repetition 
after  an  interval  is  more  effective  in  memorizing  in  spelling 
than  continuous  repetition. 


PART  IV 

Experiment  IV 

The  object  of  this  brief  experiment  was  the  same  as  in  previous 
experiments. 

During  Experiment  III,  I  felt  sure  that  there  was  a  possible 
error  that  would  need  correction.  First,  the  element  of  guessing 
was  present  in  all  the  tests.  Pupils  would  frequently  miss  words 
after  study  that  they  did  not  miss  in  the  preliminary  tests, 
showing  that  they  guessed  at  the  correct  spelling  in  the  pre- 
liminary test. 

The  second  error  seemed  to  be  present  because  in  study  all 
pupils  were  required  to  study  the  same  words,  thus  studying 
the  words  that  they  seemed  to  know  in  the  preliminary  test 
and  the  words  they  did  not  know.  In  order  to  eliminate  these 
two  possible  errors,  as  far  as  possible,  the  following  individual 
tests  were  given. 

Plan  of  Test 

1.  Ten  pupils  were  selected  from  grades  5,  6,  7  and  8.  The 
selection  was  made  so  that  the  pupils  were  of  the  same  general 
intelligence. 

2.  Each  pupil  was  tested  separately.  Twenty-five  words 
were  pronounced  to  the  pupil.  The  pupil's  paper  was  taken 
and  a  list  of  the  words  missed  was  written  on  the  typewriter 
in  the  same  form  as  the  slips  had  been  printed  in  Experiment 
III.  Then  the  pupil  was  directed  to  study  aloud,  these  words, 
all  of  which  they  had  missed,  in  the  presence  of  the  experimenter 
in  the  same  way  as  all  of  the  words  had  been  studied  in  Series 
C — Tests  I,  2,  3. 

3.  This  experiment  was  conducted  in  all  respects  like  Experi- 
ment III,  excepting  that  there  was  one  pupil  in  each  case,  in- 
stead of  a  number  of  pupils. 

75 


76 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling 
TABLE  XXV 


The  following  results  were  obtained: 

Individual  Experiment 


Test  i — ^Three  oral  repetitions — continuous. 


Subject 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J 

Average 


Number  of 

Words  in 

Test 

8 

13 
12 
12 
16 
15 
14 
8 

6 

ID 

II. 4 


Number 

Missed 

After  Study 

I 

4 
3 
8 
8 
8 
I 
2 
2 

5 
4.2 


Number 

Learned 

After  Study 

7 
9 
9 

4 
8 

7 

13 

6 

4 
5 
7.2 


Percentage 
Learned 


87-5 
69.2 

75- 

33.3 

50. 

46.6 

92.9 

75- 
66.6 
50. 
64.6 


Test  2 — ^Three  oral  repetitions — Two  repetitions  each  of  which  was  after  an 
interval  the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  study  the  other 
words  of  the  list. 


Subject 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G.. 

H 

I 

J 

Average 


Number  of 

Number 

Number 

Words  in 

Missed 

Learned 

Test 

After  Study 

After  Study 

9 

0 

9 

14 

3 

II 

15 

3 

12 

13 

0 

13 

12 

I 

II 

II 

2 

9 

10 

0 

10 

6 

I 

5 

7 

I 

6 

II 

I 

10 

10.8 

1.2 

9.6 

Percentage 
Learned 

100. 
78.6 
80. 

100. 
91.7 
81.8 

100. 
83.3 
85.7 
90.9 
89.2 


Experimental   Studies  in   Spelling  77 

Test  3 — Three  oral  repetitions — Two  continuous  and  one  after  an  interval 
the  length  of  which  was  the  time  required  to  complete  the  list  twice. 

A 13  I  12  92.3 

B 16  5  II  68.8 

C 12  5  7  58.3 

D 13  4  9  69.2 

E 16  6  10  62.5 

F II  7  4  36.4 

G 13  2  II  84.6 

H 8  2  6  75- 

1 8  I  7  87.5 

J 15  7  8  53.5 

Average  12.5  4.  8.7  68.8 

Analysis  of  Result — Experiment  IV 

In  comparison  of  Tests  i  and  2  the  larger  percentage  of  words 
was  learned  in  Test  2,  three  of  the  pupils  learning  all  the  words 
to  be  learned.  The  average  number  learned  by  the  ten  pupils 
is  64.6  per  cent  in  Test  I,  and  89.2  per  cent  in  Test  2,  making 
a  difference  of  24,6  per  cent  in  favor  of  Test  2,  the  character- 
istic of  which  was  repetition  after  an  interval. 

In  comparison  of  Tests  i  and  3,  the  advantage  is  4.2  per  cent 
in  favor  of  Test  3,  although  in  individual  cases,  as  pupils  B,  C, 
F,  and  G,  the  percentage  learned  is  higher  in  Test  i.  This 
brief  experiment  serves  only  to  emphasize  the  conclusion  of  the 
previous  experiments. 

The  higher  percentage  of  words  learned  in  experiment  four 
was  due  to  two  chief  reasons;  first,  the  entire  time  of  study  was 
placed  upon  words  that  each  pupil  did  not  know;  second,  the 
pupils  were  selected  pupils  possessing  ability  of  concentration 
somewhat  above  the  average. 


78 


% 
90 

8o 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 


69% 


Experimental  Studies  in   Spelling 
GRAPHIC  REPRESENTATION  OF  RESULTS. 


70.5% 


66.8% 


75.8% 


57-2% 


65.5% 
62% 


73.3% 


64.6% 


45-7% 


62% 


I      2 


I      2 


No.  of  Test  A-i  2     B-i  2 

Series  A-i  2  ^ 

Series  B-i  2 
No.  of  Exp.         I  II  III  IV 

In  each  experiment  Test  I  represents  continuous  repetition;  test  II 
repetition  after  an  interval. 


OBSERVATIONS  UPON  THE  EXPERIMENTS 

1.  The  element  of  guessing  was  present  in  all  the  experiments. 

2.  Weather  conditions  did  affect  accuracy  of  results.  In  all 
cases  where  extremely  bad  weather  existed  the  results  were 
thrown  out  and  the  experiment  conducted  a  second  time.  This 
necessitated  much  more  work  than  appears  in  record.  Ordin- 
ary changes  of  weather  did  not  affect  the  results  to  any  great 
degree. 

3.  Social  functions  were  a  source  of  disturbance  in  the  results. 
The  results  were  rejected  and  the  experiment  conducted  again 
in  cases  where  a  large  number  of  individuals  were  affected.  In 
the  study  of  individual  cases  failure  on  the  part  of  the  pupils 
to  maintain  the  general  average  in  learning  words  was  traced 
to  some  social  function  the  night  before.  These  cases  do  not 
show  in  the  totals. 

4.  The  time  element  was  reduced  to  a  constant  factor,  hence 
the  variation  in  time  did  not  materially  affect  the  results. 

5.  Pupils  were  given  sufficient  experience  with  the  covering 
device,  previous  to  conducting  the  experiment,  to  take  away  the 
novelty  of  the  device.  My  observation  would  suggest  that 
with  experience  the  attention  of  the  pupils  could  be  directed  as 
desired  in  the  method  of  study  without  the  covering  device. 

6.  The  form  of  repetition  was  confined  to  oral  repetition  after 
experiment  one,  because  it  was  found  that  to  test  the  form  of 
repetition  would  make  the  problem  too  complex,  hence,  it  was 
thought  best  to  confine  the  investigation  to  continuous  oral 
repetition  and  oral  repetition  after  an  interval. 

7.  The  record  after  experiment  one  was  kept  in  totals  because 
there  seemed  to  be  no  special  difference  in  the  record  of  males 
and  females. 

8.  The  study  of  the  individual  records  suggests  that  students 
of  sluggish  mind  learn  more  words  when  they  have  at  least  two 
successive  repetitions. 

79 


8o  Experimental   Studies   in   Spelling 

9.  Observation  of  the  individual  records  suggests  that  pupils 
lacking  concentration  did  not  learn  as  many  words  in  any  of  the 
tests  as  pupils  who  possessed  ordinary  powers  of  concentration. 

10.  The  results  at  the  end  of  the  week  were  not  so  satisfac- 
tory, as  the  results  immediately  after  study,  this  was  probably 
due  to  either  or  all  of  the  following  conditions: 

1.  Earnest  pupils  were  likely  to  talk  about  the  words  studied 
and  to  look  them  up  in  the  dictionary,  even  though  they  were 
requested  not  to  do  so. 

2.  Teachers  were  likely  to  incidentally  direct  attention  to  the 
spelling  of  the  words  given  in  the  tests. 

3.  Physical  conditions  affected  the  results  more  at  the  end 
of  the  week  than  they  did  immediately  after  study. 

11.  The  increasing  efficiency  of  repetition  after  an  interval 
in  each  of  the  experiments  seemed  to  be  explained  by  the  fact 
that  in  each  succeeding  experiment  more  of  the  disturbing 
factors  were  eliminated,  hence  experiment  three  was  most  nearly 
accurate. 

Conclusion 

Experiments  I,  II,  and  III  show  an  average  of  g.3  per  cent 
in  favor  of  repetition  after  an  interval.  In  spellings  repetition 
after  an  interval  is  more  effective  in  memorizing  than  continuous 
repetition. 


14  DAY  USE 

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